thing Copy link Outline I. Any object of thought1. res, rēi (connect. with reor, I think, hence the most exact and gen. equiv. of t.)2. expr. not less freq. by the neut. gend.3. nĕgōtium (business, matter)4. nātūra (element, substance)II. In pl.1. res, rērum (pl.)2. sarcĭna (package3. expr. by the neut. pl. • thing: I. Any object of thought: 1. res, rēi (connect. with reor, I think, hence the most exact and gen. equiv. of t.): the life of living creatures is maintained by three t.s, tribus rebus animantium vita tenetur, Cic. N. D. 2, 54, 134: boys rapidly pick up innumerable things, pueri celeriter r. innumerabiles arripiunt, id. Sen. 21, 78: the nature of t.s, rerum natura, id.: Lucr.: t.s cannot be worse, pejore r. loco non potest esse, Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 46 (observe the sing.): t.s looked very like brigandage, r. proxime formam latrocinii venerat, Liv. 2, 48. 2. expr. not less freq. by the neut. gend.: see Lat. Gr. § 339: it is one t. to write to a friend, another to write for the public, aliud est amico, aliud omnibus scribere, Plin. Ep. 6, 16, extr.: but enough of these t.s, sed haec hactenus, Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 11. 3. nĕgōtium (business, matter): in how few words do they think the t. settled! quam paucis verbis n. confectum putant, Cic. Div. 2, 49, 103. 4. nātūra (element, substance): he doubts what that t. may be, dubitat quae sit ea n., Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89. [N.B.--Ens, entis, n., is a phil. t. of the schoolmen.] Phr.: and woman is a faithless t., nec fidum femina nomen, Tib. 3, 4, 61: how is an evil age an evil t. for the back, ut aetas mala mala merx est tergo, Pl. Men. 5, 2, 6: as t.s go, ut nunc est, Hor. S. 1, 9, 5: we must accommodate ourselves to the marriage of that poor t., illius misellae matrimonio serviendum est, Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 3. II. In pl.: goods, moveables: 1. res, rērum (pl.): Cic.: Hor.: v. property, goods. Dimin.: rescŭla: beggarly ragged t.s, paupertinae pannosaeque r., App. M. 4, p. 147, extr. 2. sarcĭna (package: used in pl.): with a great part of her t.s, cum magna sarcinarum parte, Petr. 114, 7. Dimin.: sarcĭnŭla: pack up your t.s, collige sarcinulas, Juv. 6, 146. 3. expr. by the neut. pl.: he removes his trumpery t.s, frivola transfert, Juv. 3, 198.