cătēna (noun F) : (once with
* Num. distrib. as piur. tantum: trinis catenis vinctus,Caes. B. G. 1, 53) [Sanscr. kat, to fall away; cf. catax].
* A wooden bracket, brace, etc., for holding two beams together, Cato, R. R. 18, 9; Vitr. 7, 3; Pall. 1, 3, 1.
* A chain
* Used as a fetter, shackle, etc.; usu. in plur. (syn. vincula): catenis vincire aliquem,Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 3; Ov. M. 15, 601 al.: catenas indere alicui,Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 3: in catenas conicere aliquem,Caes. B. G. 1, 47; Liv. 29, 21, 2: catenas inicere alicui,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 41, § 106: in catenis aliquem Romam mittere,Liv. 29, 21, 12: in catenis aliquem per urbem ducere,id. 45, 40, 6: eximere se ex catenis,Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 8: rumpere catenas,Hor. S. 2, 7, 71: catenas alicui exsolvere,Tac. H. 3, 31 al.—In sing., Liv. 24, 34, 10; Cat. 64, 297; Verg. A. 6, 558; Hor. S. 1, 5, 65; Curt. 4, 3, 22; 7, 5, 36; Tac. A. 4, 28; 6, 14; Suet. Aug. 94; Sen. Ep. 9, 8; Plin. 34, 15, 43, § 150.
* Of a chain stopping the entrance of a harbor: catena ferrea valde robusta,Amm. 26, 8, 8.
* A chain of gold or silver worn by women as an ornament, Plin. 33, 3, 12, § 40; Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 84.
* A series of things connected together, a chain, series, Lucr. 6, 910 (but id. 2, 630, is a false reading for quod armis; v. Lachm.).
* Trop.: (praecepta oratoria) in catenas ligare,Quint. 5, 14, 32.

s. TLL