(adjective) : vŏlŭcer, ūcris, ūcre (
* Gen. plur. volucrium, Cic. ap. Charis. p. 119 P.; masc. volucris, Tib. 4, 1, 209; Sil. 10, 471; fem. volucer fama, Petr. poët. 123, 210; cf. acer; on the quantity of the u in volucris, v. Quint. 1, 5, 28), cf. 2. volo, flying, winged (class.; syn.: ales, volatilis).
* Lit.
* Adj.: bestiae,Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 38; id. Lael. 21, 81: angues,id. N. D. 1, 36, 101: dracones,Ov. M. 7, 218: Cupido,id. ib. 9, 482: natus,i. e. Cupid,id. ib. 5, 364: deus,i. e. Mercury,Stat. Th. 2, 55; cf. pes (Mercurii),Ov. F. 5, 88; and: o nuntium volucrem!Cic. Quint. 25, 80.
* Trop.
* Transf., of any thing that moves rapidly, flying, winged, fleet, swift, rapid (mostly poet.; syn. velox): lumen,Lucr. 6, 173; cf.: ritu flammarum,id. 1, 1102: fumi,Verg. G. 2, 217: aurae,id. A. 11, 795; Ov. M. 13, 807: nebulae,id. ib. 1, 602: procellae,id. Am. 2, 11, 33: sagitta,Verg. A. 5, 242; Ov. M. 9, 102; called also ferrum,id. Tr. 3, 10, 64: harundo,Verg. A. 5, 544: equi,Ov. M. 2, 153; 2, 234; 4, 245: currus,Hor. C. 1, 34, 8: volucri freta classe pererrat,Ov. M. 7, 460: jam volucrem sequor Te per gramina Martii Campi,speeding, running,Hor. C. 4, 1, 38 et saep.
* In gen., fleet, swift, rapid: nihil est tam volucre quam maledictum,Cic. Planc. 23, 57: aliud genus (dicendi) est ... verbis volucre atque incitatum,id. Brut. 95, 325: volucri spe et cogitatione rapiuntur a domo longius,id. Rep. 2, 4, 7: somnus,Verg. A. 2, 794: fatum,Hor. C. 2, 17, 24.
* In partic., passing quickly by, fleeting, transient, transitory: o volucrem fortunam,Cic. Sull. 32, 91: dies,Hor. C. 3, 28, 6; 4, 13, 16: fama,Ov. H. 17, 207; Petr. 123: gaudium,Tac. Or. 9.—Adv.: vŏlŭcrĭter, swiftly, rapidly (post-class.): congregati,Amm. 17, 1, 12: perurgebat nocentes innocentesque,id. 29, 1, 18.