plŭtĕus | plŭtĕum, i (noun M.n) : m., less freq. , , n.
* A penthouse, shed, or mantlet, made of hurdles covered with raw hides, and used to protect besiegers (cf. vineae): plutei crates corio crudo intentae, quae solebant opponi militibus opus facientibus, et appellabantur militares. Nunc etiam tabulae, quibus quid praesepitur, eodem nomine dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 231 Müll.; cf. Veg. Mil. 4, 15: pluteos praeferre,Amm. 21, 12, 6; so Caes. B. C. 2, 9; Liv. 21, 61, 10 al.—Transf.: ad aliquem vineam pluteosque agere,i. e. to turn all one's weapons against him,Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 111.
* A permanent breastwork, a parapet, on towers, etc.: pluteos vallo addere,Caes. B. G. 7, 41: plutei turrium,id. ib. 7, 25; id. B. C. 3, 24: rates a fronte atque ab utroque latere, cratibus ac pluteis protegebat,id. ib. 1, 25, 9; 2, 15, 3: viminei,Amm. 19, 5, 1: locus consaeptus cratibus pluteisque,Liv. 10, 38, 5.
* The back-board, back, of a settee or couch, Suet. Calig. 26; so of the couch on which guests reclined at table: somni post vina petuntur, ... puer pluteo vindice tutus erat,Mart. 3, 91, 10.
* Meton., a couch, dining-couch, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 68.
* The board on which a corpse is placed, Mart. 8, 44, 13.
* A book-shelf, bookcase, desk, Pers. 1, 106; with busts upon it,Juv. 2, 7; cf. Dig. 29, 1, 17, § 4; Sid. Ep. 2, 9.
* A partition-wall between two columns, a balustrade, parapet, Vitr. 4, 4, 1.

s. TLL