proelĭum | prael- (noun N) : (), , etym. dub.; perh. for provilium, pro-dvilium; cf. duellum (bellum)
* A battle, combat (class.; syn.: pugna, dimicatio).
* Lit.: induperatores pugnare ac proelia obire,Lucr. 4, 967: non proeliis, neque acie bellum gerere,Sall. J. 54, 5: exitus proeliorum,Cic. Fam. 6, 4, 1: proelium facere,to engage,id. Tusc. 4, 19, 43: inire,Liv. 25, 38: committere cum aliquo,Cic. Div. 1, 35, 77: redintegrare,Caes. B. G. 1, 25: restituere,id. ib. 53: conficere,Hirt. B. G. 8, 28: miscere,Prop. 4 (5), 1, 28.proelio dimicare cum hoste,Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 6: proeliis decertare,id. Prov. Cons. 13, 33: proelium sumere,to join battle, engage,Tac. H. 2, 42: singulare,single combat,Aus. Per. Iliad. 7: Punica passi proelia,the wars with Carthage,Juv. 14, 162.
* Transf.
* Trop.
* Of inanimate subjects (poet.): ventorum proelia,Verg. G. 1, 318.
* A warrior: Colchis flagrantes adamantina sub juga tauros Egit et armigera proelia sevit humo,Prop. 3, 11 (4, 10), 10: trepidum si Martis operti agricolam infandis condentem proelia sulcis expediam,Stat. Th. 1, 8.
* Contest, strife (class.): proelia te meā causā sustinere,Cic. Fam. 9, 11, 2: committere proelia voce,Ov. M. 5, 307; id. Am. 1, 8, 96.—Humorously, of a struggle with food and drink: in eo uterque proelio potabimus,Plaut. Men. 1, 3, 3: sed quid cessamus proelium committere?id. Pers. 1, 3, 32.
* In mal. part., Prop. 2, 1, 45: veneris,App. M. 5, p. 168, 6.

s. TLL