truncus (noun M) :
* The stem, stock, bole, or trunk of a tree (without regard to its branches).
* Lit.: cibus ... Per truncos ac per ramos diffunditur omnes,Lucr. 1, 353: quid? in arboribus, in quibus non truncus, non rami, non folia sunt denique, nisi, etc.,Cic. de Or. 3, 46, 179; cf. id. Sen. 15, 52; id. N. D. 2, 47, 120; id. Lael. 13, 48; Caes. B. G. 4, 17; 7, 73, Verg. G. 2, 78; 3, 233; Hor S. 1, 8, 1; id. C. 2, 17, 27; 3, 4, 55; Ov. M. 2, 358; 8, 346; id. H. 9, 93; Col. Arb. 17, 1; Sen. Ep. 86, 17.
* Transf.
* Trop., a trunk, stem: quae (stirpes aegritudinis) ipso trunco everso omnes eligendae (elidendae, Kühn.) sunt,Cic. Tusc. 3, 34, 83.
* Of a column.
* The shaft, Vitr. 4, 1 med.
* A piece cut off, as a branch of a tree for an our: frondentes,Val. Fl. 8, 287; a piece of flesh for smoking (cf. trunculus),Verg. M. 57.
* Like caudex, stipes, and the Engl. stock, for blockhead, dunce, dolt: quī potest esse in ejusmodi trunco sapientia?Cic. N. D. 1, 30, 84: tamquam truncus atque stipes,id. Pis. 9, 19. —*

truncus, a, um
* Adj [root tark-, truc-, to break, tear; cf. torqueo], maimed, mutilated, mangled, dismembered, disfigured, deprived of some of its parts (mostly poet. and perh. not ante-Aug.; syn.: mutilus, mancus).
* Lit.: trunca manu pinus regit (Polyphemum),i. e. the trunk of a pinetree,Verg. A. 3, 659: trunca illa et retorrida manus Mucii,Sen. Ep. 66, 51: nemora,i. e. trees stripped of their branches,Stat. Th. 4, 455: truncas mhonesto vulnere nares,Verg. A. 6, 497: vultus naribus auribusque,Mart. 2, 83, 3: frons,deprived of its horn,Ov. M. 9, 1; 9, 86; Sil. 3, 42: frontem lumina truncam,deprived of its eyes,id. 9, 400: bracchia non habuit, truncoque repandus in undas Corpore desiluit,deprived of its limbs,Ov. M. 3, 680; cf. Just. 2, 9, 19: puerum trunci corporis in agro Romano natum,Liv. 41, 9, 5: varie ex integris truncos gigni, ex truncis integros,Plin. 7, 11, 10, § 50: tela,i.e. broken in pieces,Verg. A. 11, 9; cf.: trunci enses et fractae hastae,Stat. Th. 2, 711: truncum lignum, i. e. hasta fracta,Val. Fl. 6, 251: membra carmae, Ov M. 11, 560; cf. alnus,without oars,Val. Fl. 2, 300: truncae atque mutilae litterae,Gell. 17, 9, 12: exta,Val. Max. 1, 6, 9.
* Poet., with gen.: animalia trunca pedum,without feet,Verg. G. 4, 310: truncus capitis, Sil 10, 311.
* Trop., maimed, mutilated: (Capua) urbs trunca, sine senatu, sine plebe, sine magistratibus,Liv. 31, 29, 11: pecus,without a leader,Stat. Th. 5, 333: manus vero, sine quibus trunca esset actio ac debilis, vix dici potest, quot motus habeant,Quint. 11, 3, 85: trunca et debilis medicina (sine rerum naturae cognitione), Cels. praef.: sermo (volucrum),Stat. Th. 12, 478: trunca quaedam ex Menandro,fragments,Gell. 2, 23, 21.—Hence, subst.:
* Of things, not developed, imperfect, or wanting in their parts: quaedam imperfecta (animalia) suisque Trunca vident numeris,Ov. M. 1, 428: ranae pedibus,id. ib. 15, 376: ipse (nanus) jactabat truncas manus,Prop. 4 (5), 8, 42.mdash;
* Of members cut off: bracchia,Val. Fl. 4, 181: manus,Sen. Contr 1, 4.