portus (noun M) : (
* Gen. sing. porti, Turp. ap. Non. 491, 20: dat. plur. portibus, Liv. 27, 30, 7 et saep.; a better form than portubus), m. por, whence porto, portitor.—Prop., an entrance; hence
* A harbor, haven, port: Lunai portus, Enn. ap. Pers. 6, 9 (Ann. v. 16 Vahl.): portus Caietae,Cic. Imp. Pomp. 12, 33; id. Rep. 3, 31, 43; cf.: in Graeciae portus,id. ib. 1, 3, 5: e portu solvere,to sail out of port,id. Mur. 2, 4; so, e portu proficisci,Caes. B. G. 3, 14: ex portu exire,id. B. C. 2, 4: ex portu naves educere,id. ib. 1, 57; 2, 22: portum linquere,Verg. A. 3, 289: petere,to sail into, to enter,Cic. Planc. 39, 94; Verg. A. 1, 194: capere,Caes. B. G. 4, 36: occupare,Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 32: in portum venire,to enter the port,Cic. Sen. 19, 71; so, in portum ex alto invehi,id. Mur. 2, 4: in portum deferri,Auct. Her. 1, 11, 19: in portum pervenire,Caes. B. G. 4, 22: in portum se recipere,id. B. C. 2, 22: in portum navim cogere (al. conicere),Cic. Inv. 2, 32, 98: in portum penetrare,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 37, § 96: portum tenere,to reach a port,id. Fam. 1, 9, 21: in portum voluntatis deduci,Vulg. Psa. 106, 30: in portu operam dare,to be an officer of the customs,Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 171; 2, 2, 72, § 176.—With reference to the import-duty to be paid in ports: ex portu vectigal conservare,Cic. Imp. Pomp. 6, 15; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 171. —Prov.: in portu navigare,i. e. to be in safety, out of all danger,Ter. And. 3, 1, 22; so, in portu esse,Cic. Fam. 9, 6, 4.
* Poet., transf., the mouth of a river, where it empties into the sea, Ov. H. 14, 107; id. Am. 2, 13, 10.
* In the oldest Latinity, a house (as a place which one enters): portum in XII. pro domo positum omnes fere consentiunt,Fest. p. 233 Müll.—*
* A warehouse: portus appellatus est conclusus locus, quo importantur merces et inde exportantur,Dig. 50, 16, 59: Licini,Cassiod. Var. 1, 25.

s. TLL