I.a piece of burned clay, a brick, tile, ὄστρακον.
I. Lit., Cic. Dom. 23, 61; Cato, R. R. 18, 7; 18, 110; Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 6; Vitr. 2, 8 fin.; 7, 1; 7, 4; Aus. Parent. 11, 9.—
II. Transf.
A. A piece of baked earthen-ware, an earthen pot, pitcher, jug, urn, etc. (cf. testu): “si Prometheus ... a vicinis cum testā ambulans carbunculos corrogaret,” Auct. Her. 4, 6, 9: “testā cum ardente viderent Scintillare oleum,” a lamp, Verg. G. 1, 391: “quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit odorem Testa diu,” Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 70; cf. Tib. 2, 3, 47: “accipiat Manes parvula testa meos,” Prop. 2, 13, 32 (3, 5, 16): “vinum Graeca quod testā conditum levi,” Hor. C. 1, 20, 2; 3, 21, 4: “mihi fundat avitum Condita testa merum,” Ov. A. A. 2, 696; Mart. 12, 48, 8; 12, 63, 2; 13, 7, 1; Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 114.—Used in applause: “audiat ille Testarum crepitus cum verbis,” Juv. 11, 170 (cf. F. infra).—
B. A broken piece of earthen-ware, pottery, brick, etc.; a sherd, potsherd: dissipatis imbricum fragminibus ac testis tegularum, Sisenn. ap. Non. 125, 18: “testa parem fecit,” Ov. M. 8, 662: “fulcitur testā mensa,” Mart. 2, 43, 10; Plin. 32, 8, 28, § 89; 35, 3, 5, § 16; Tac. H. 5, 6; Prop. 4 (5), 7, 28; Juv. 3, 260.—Hence,
C. Like ὄστρακον, a sherd, potsherd, in the ostracism or judicial voting of the Greeks: testarum suffragiis, quod illi ὀστρακισμὸν vocant, Nep. Cim. 3, 1; cf. also testula.—
D. The shell of shell-fish or of testaceous animals: “genera beluarum ad saxa nativis testis inhaerentium,” Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 100: “ostreae,” Plin. 32, 6, 21, § 60: “muricum,” id. 32, 7, 27, § 84: “cochlearum,” id. 30, 8, 21, § 66: “testudinis,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 79 Müll. —Hence,
2. Transf.
a. A shell-fish: “non omne mare generosae fertile testae,” Hor. S. 2, 4, 31: “marina,” id. ib. 2, 8, 53.—
b. A shell or covering, in gen.: “lubricaque immotas testa premebat aquas,” i. e. an icy shell, covering of ice, Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 38: lubrica, Poët. ap. Anthol. Lat. 2, p. 62 Burm.—
c. The skull: “testa hominis, nudum jam cute calvitium,” Aus. Epigr. 72; Prud. στεφ. 10, 761; Cael. Aur. Tard. 1, 1; 2, 1 fin. (hence, Ital. testa and Fr. tēte).—
E. A brick-colored spot on the face, Plin. 26, 15, 92, § 163; 48. 12, 50, § 185.—
F. A sort of clapping with the flat of the hands (as if with two tiles), in token of applause, invented by Nero, Suet. Ner 20.