• mĕrenda,
ae,
f. [mereo, q. v.],
an afternoon luncheon, taken between four and five o'clock (ante- and post-
class.): merendam antiqui dicebant pro prandio, quod scilicet medio die caperetur, Paul. ex
Fest. p. 123 Müll.:
merenda dicitur cibus post meridiem qui datur, Non. 28, 32;
Plaut. Most. 4, 2, 49; Afran.
ap. Non. 28, 33:
serae hora merendae, Calp. Ecl. 5, 60;
cf. Isid. Orig. 20, 2, 12.—Also of
feed or
medicine for a beast: Cyprio bovi merendam, Ennius cum dixit, significat id, quod solet fieri in insulā Cypro, in quā boves humano stercore pascuntur, Paul. ex
Fest. p. 59 Müll. (sola, v. 2 Vahl. p. 164).