vădum | vă-dus, i (noun N) : (
* Masc. collat form, , , Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 111; Sall. H. 1, 68 Dietsch) [cf. the root BA, βαίνω, whence, also, vado; hence, that through which one can go], a shallow place in water, a shallow, shoal, ford.
* Lit.
* Sing.: Rhodanus nonnullis locis vado transitur,Caes. B. G. 1, 6; 5, 58; 7, 55: vadum in flumine efficere,id. B. C. 1, 61: vadum fluminis temptare, si transire possent,id. ib. 1, 83: exercitum vado transducere,id. ib. 3, 37: vado flumen penetrare,Tac. A. 2, 68: vado superari amnis non poterat,Liv. 38, 13, 9; 38, 18, 7: piscis qui vivit in vado,Cels. 2, 18: amnis incerto vado,Tac. A. 12, 33.
* Trop.
* Transf.
* A body of water, a sea, stream, etc. (poet.): longā sulcant vada salsa carinā,Verg. A. 5, 158; 7, 198; Cat. 64, 58: si tamen Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada,Hor. C. 1, 3, 24; Ov. P. 4, 9, 2; Sen. Hippol. 181 al.
* The bottom of a body of water, the depths (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): saxa Vadis levata,Hor. Epod. 16, 26; Plin. 3, praef. § 4: ostrea capta solido vado,id. 32, 6, 21, § 59: sedit limoso pressa carina vado,Ov. F. 4, 300.
* The bottom of a well, Phaedr. 4, 9, 12; Plin. 31, 3, 23, § 39.
* Of shallow water, as a place of safety to the swimmer: haec propemodum jam esse in vado salutis res videtur,i. e. in safety,Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 73: at in vado'st: jam facile enabit,id. Rud. 1, 2, 81: omnis res est jam in vado,Ter. And. 5, 2, 4.
* Of shallows, as dangerous to the mariner: emersisse jam e vadis et scopulos praetervecta videtur oratio mea,Cic. Cael. 21, 51: cera vadum tentet, rasis infusa tabellis, explore the way, i. e. make a first attempt, Ov. A. A. 1, 437.