hĭātus (noun M) : id.
* An opening, aperture, cleft (class. in sing. and plur.; cf. rima, rictus).
* Lit.: animalia cibum partim oris hiatu et dentibus ipsis capessunt, partim unguium tenacitate arripiunt,Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: oris,Suet. Claud. 27; Verg. A. 11, 680.—Without oris: ne immodicus hiatus rictum distendat,Quint. 1, 11, 9: extremus exspirantis,id. 6, 2, 31: Nemeaeus magnus hiatus Ille leonis,Lucr. 5, 24; cf.: quinquaginta atris immanis hiatibus Hydra,i. e. open mouths,Verg. A. 6, 576; Ov. M. 7, 557; 11, 61; Val. Fl. 1, 34: personae pallentis hiatus,Juv. 3, 175: magno sublimis pardus hiatu,id. 11, 123; Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 38; cf. of Boreas: imbres, sicco quos asper hiatu Persolidat Boreas,with a dry throat, dry breath,Stat. Th. 1, 352: repentini terrarum hiatus,Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14: hauriri urbes terrae hiatibus,Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 119; cf.: qui (Gyges) descendit in illum hiatum,Cic. Off. 3, 9, 38: neu distracta (Natura) suum late dispandat hiatum,Lucr. 6, 599: quantum caeli patet altus hiatus,id. 4, 418; cf. id. 5, 375: fit et caeli ipsius hiatus, quod vocant chasma,Plin. 2, 26, 26, § 96: corticis bipedalis hiatus,id. 16, 12, 23, § 57: hiatus patuli fontis,i. e. basin,Ov. M. 3, 162: specus est tenebroso caecus hiatu,aperture,id. ib. 7, 409: veteris rimae cum texit hiatum,Juv. 3, 195.—Poet.: quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu?i. e. of such pompous language, high-flown style,Hor. A. P. 138; cf. Juv. 6, 636.
* Trop.
* In gen., an eager desire, longing (so used by Tac.): libidine sanguinis et hiatu praemiorum,Tac. H. 4, 42.
* In partic., in gram., a hiatus: habet enim ille tamquam hiatus concursu vocalium molle quiddam et quod indicet non ingratam negligentiam, Cic. Or. 23, 77; Quint. 9, 4, 33: (Catullus) amans hiatus illius Homerici suavitatem, ebriosa dixit propter insequentis a litterae (verbi acinae) concentum,Gell. 7, 20, 6.

s. TLL