ŏpĕra (noun F) : opus
* Service, pains, exertion, work, labor (opus is used mostly of the mechanical activity of work, as that of animals, slaves, and soldiers; opera supposes a free will and desire to serve).
* Lit.
* In gen.: omnes, quorum operae, non quorum artes emuntur,Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150: sine hominum manu atque operā,id. ib. 2, 4, 14: operam exigere,id. ib. 1, 13: perdere,id. de Or. 1, 28, 126: praebere amicis,id. Brut. 47, 174: in re ponere,id. Clu. 57, 157: curamque in rebus honestis ponere,id. Off. 1, 6, 19: et laborem consumere in aliquā re,to bestow labor and pains on any thing,id. de Or. 1, 55, 234: studiumque in res obscuras conferre,id. Off. 1, 6, 19: tribuere rei publicae,id. Div. 2, 2, 7; sumere,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 31, § 69: impendere,id. ib. 2, 2, 30, § 68: polliceri,Sall. C. 28, 1; 40, 6: insumere,Liv. 10, 18: dicare alicui,Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 12: interponere, to bestow, employ, Cic. Div. in. Caecil. 19, 63: ipse dabat purpuram tantum, amici operas, gave their work thereto, i. e. wrought it, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 26, § 59: pleraque sunt hominum operis effecta,id. Off. 2, 3, 12: ibo, atque illam adducam, Quam propter opera est mihi,on whose behalf I am engaged,Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 93: operam navare,Cic. Fam. 15, 12, 2; Liv. 25, 6, 15.
* Transf.
* Care, attention, exertion bestowed on any thing: deditā operā,seriously, with a purpose,Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 29.—So esp. freq.
* Operam dare, to bestow care or pains on, to give attention to any thing.—Constr. with dat., with ut or ne ( = studere).
* Leisure, spare time for any thing (class., but in the phrase operae est, only ante-class. and Livian): operae ubi mihi erit, ad te venero,as soon as I can spare the time,Plaut. Truc. 4, 4, 30: si operae illi esset,if he had time,Liv. 5, 15; 4, 8; 44, 36: dicam, si tibi videam esse operam, aut otium,Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 15: operae non est,id. ib. 5, 2, 77: quos tu operam gravare mihi,id. Rud. 2, 4, 21: de versibus, quos tibi a me scribi vis, deest mihi quidem opera, I have not time or leisure, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 4.
* In concr.
* Unā or eādem operā, in the same manner, at the same time (ante-class.): unā operā mihi sunt sodales, quā iste,Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 31: eādem operā a praetore sumam syngrapham,id. ib. 2, 3, 89.
* Operā, by experience (ante-class.): nam te omnes saevom commemorant ... ego contra operā expertus,Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 7: id operā expertus sum esse ita,id. Bacch. 3, 2, 3: magis non factum possum velle quam operā experiar persequi,id. Capt. 2, 3, 65.
* Operae pretium, v. pretium, II. B.
* A day's work or labor (usu. in plur.): quaternis operis singula jugera confodere,Varr. R. R. 1, 18: puerilis una opera,Col. 11, 2, 44: bubulcorum operae quatuor,id. 2, 13: operae (filiorum) locari possunt,Paul. Sent. 5, 1, 1.
* A day-laborer, journeyman; also, in gen., a laborer, workman (usu. in plur.): ipse dominus dives operis et laboris expers,Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 16: plures operas conducere,Col. 3, 21: nona, a ninth laborer (on his farm), Hor. S. 2, 7, 118; Suet. Oct. 3.—Hence, transf., in a bad sense: operae, hired aiders, abettors, tools, etc. (of political or theatrical parties): mercenariae (corresp. to multitudo conducta),Cic. Phil. 1, 9, 22; cf.: erat mihi contentio cum operis conductis et ad diripiendam urbem concitatis,id. Sest. 17, 38: Claudianae,id. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 2; cf. id. Att. 4, 3, 3: theatrales,parties for the purpose of applauding, theatrical factions,Tac. A. 1, 16: VETERES A SCENA,Inscr. Grut. 467, 7.
* That which is wrought or produced, a work: operae aranearum,i. e. spiders' webs,Plaut. As. 2, 4, 19: exstabit opera peregrinationis hujus,Cic. Att. 15, 13, 6.

s. TLL