gaudĭum (noun N) : (apoc. form gau, like cael for caelum, do for domum: replet te laetificum gau, Enn. ap. Auson. Technop. 144; Ann. 451 Vahl.), id.
* Inward joy, joy, gladness, delight (opp. laetitia, joy which shows itself externally).
* Lit.
* In gen.
* Transf., also, like our joy, for an object which produces joy, a cause or occasion of joy (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): ceterum hoc gaudium magna prope clade in Samnio foedatum est,Liv. 7, 34, 1: non animo solum patrio gratum munus, sed corpori quoque salubre gaudium (sc. reditus filii) fuit,id. 37, 37, 7: cupidus falsis attingere gaudia palmis, i. e. conjugem,Prop. 1, 19, 9: fugiunt tua gaudia,Ov. H. 15, 109; Phaedr. 4, 20, 27; Petr. 79, 10.
* In partic., sensual pleasure, delight, enjoyment (rare; not in Cic.; cf. above the passage,Cic. Fin. 2, 4, 13; usually in plur.): dediti corporis gaudiis per luxum et ignaviam aetatem agunt,Sall. J. 2, 4: mutua gaudia,Lucr. 4, 1205; 5, 854: communia,id. 4, 1196; cf. ib. 1106; Tib. 1, 5, 39; Hor. C. 3, 6, 28: non umquam reputant quanti sibi gaudia constent,Juv. 6, 365: vini atque cibi,id. 10, 204: cenae,id. 15, 41.—In sing.: mihi sibique pestiferum hinc abstulit gaudium,Liv. 1, 58, 8.
* Of inanim. and abstr. things: non omnes (arbores) florent, et sunt tristes quaedam, quaeque non sentiant gaudia annorum,Plin. 16, 25, 40, § 95: flos est gaudium arborum,id. ib.: adamas opum gaudium,id. 20 praef. § 2.

s. TLL