gate Copy link Outline 1. porta (esp. of a city or town2. jānua (of a private house)3. ostium (an entrance of any kind, more freq. the door of a house)4. postis, is, m. (strictly, the post of a gate, but used poet. for the gate itself5. fŏris, is, f. (usu. of the gates of houses, of which foris strictly denotes a folding leaf6. claustra, orum (poet. • gate: 1. porta (esp. of a city or town: cf. Ov. Am. 1, 9, 20, hic [miles] portas frangit, at ille [amans] fores): before the g. of the town, ante p. oppidi, Caes.: Cic. Also of the entrances to a camp: v. Dict. Ant. s. v. castra. Fig.: the g.s of war, p. belli, Enn. in Hor.: the g.s of Cilicia (defile leading into C.), portae Ciliciae, Plin. Dimin., portŭla, a small g., Liv. 2. jānua (of a private house): v. door. Fig.: the g. of gloomy Dis (the grave), atri j. Ditis, Virg. Aen. 6, 127; j. sepulcri, Ov. 3. ostium (an entrance of any kind, more freq. the door of a house): before the prison g., ad o. carceris, Cic. Verr. 5, 45, 118. Join: (extra) ostium limenque carceris, id. Tusc. 5, 5, 13. 4. postis, is, m. (strictly, the post of a gate, but used poet. for the gate itself: usu. pl.): he wrenches a g. from its hinges, postes a cardine vellit, Virg. Aen. 2, 480. Fig.: the iron-shod gates of war, ferratos belli p., Enn. in Hor. Less freq. in sing.: at the g. of the temple of Hercules, ad Herculis postem, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 5. 5. fŏris, is, f. (usu. of the gates of houses, of which foris strictly denotes a folding leaf: sing. rare): before the g.s (of the city) could be shut upon them, priusquam fores portarum objicerentur, Liv. 1, 14, extr.: v. door. 6. claustra, orum (poet.: strictly fastenings, barriers): guard thou her iron g.s with an eternal lock, ferrea perpetuâ c. tuere serâ, Mart. 10, 28, extr.: to leave behind the g.s of the city, c. (al. tecta) urbis relinquere, Ov. M. 4, 86.