Testudo, pe. pr. testúdinis, f. g. Pli. A fish called a Tarteise. Testudo. Cæs. An engine of warre to beate downe walles which was made of boutdes, and couered ouer with raw leather or other things that would not burne: within was a peece of timber with a booke of ylon, by strength of men to pul stones out of a wal. It was also % delding of souldiors target close togither ouer their heades like a roofe, in approching neare to wais or gates.Antecedebat testudo pedum sexaginta, æquandi loci causa facta. Cæsar de oppugnatione Massiliæ. Testudo Liu. Vide facere testudinem in FACIO. Sublatis supra capita scutis, continuatisq; ita inter se, testudine facta subibant.Liu.Acuta testudo. Martial. When an hedgehogge wrappeth it selfe round that he can not be couched for prickes. Testudo. Ci. The belly of a lute: A lute which somewhat resembleth a Tortelse his shell.Blanda testudo. Claud. Callida restudo resonare septem neruis. Hor. Caua testudo. Horat. An hollow lute. Testudines. Vir. Ci. Roofes or daultes of houses. Thalami culti testudme.Ouid.Chambers adourned wyth playstring.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
testūdo, ĭnis, f. [testa], a tortoise.I.Lit., Pac. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133; Plin. 9, 10, 12, 35; 32, 4, 14, 32; Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124; 2, 52, 129; Liv. 36, 32, 6; Sen. Ep. 121, 9; Phaedr. 2, 6, 5 al.—Prov.: testudo volat, of any thing impossible, Claud. in Eutr. 1, 352.—II.Transf., tortoise-shell.A. Used for overlaying or veneering, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 144; Verg. G. 2, 463; Ov. M. 2, 737; Mart. 12, 66, 5; Luc. 10, 120; Juv. 14, 308. — B. From the arched shape of a tortoise-shell. 1. Of any stringed instrument of music of an arched shape, a lyre, lute, cithern, Verg. G. 4, 464; Hor. C. 3, 11, 3; 4, 3, 17; id. Epod. 14, 11; id. A. P. 395; Val. Fl. 1, 187; 1, 277. —2.An arch, vault in buildings (syn.: fornix, camera), Varr. L. L. 5, 79 and 161 Müll.; id. R. R. 3, 5, 1; 3, 6, 4; Cic. Brut. 22, 87; Sisenn. ap. Non. 58, 16; Verg. A. 1, 505. —3. In milit. lang., a tortoise, i. e. a covering, shed, shelter so called (cf.: vinea, pluteus), viz., a. Made of wood, for the protection of besiegers, Caes. B. G. 5, 43; 5, 52; Vitr. 10, 19 sq. — b. Formed of the shields of the soldiers held over their heads, Liv. 34, 39, 6; 44, 9, 6; Caes. B. G. 2, 6; Tac. A. 13, 39; id. H. 3, 31; 3, 27; 4, 23; Verg. A. 9, 505; 9, 514 al. —4.The covering of the hedgehog, Mart. 13, 86, 1. — 5.A head-dress in imitation of a lyre, Ov. A. A. 3, 147.