Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Terebra

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

TER'EBRA (τέρετρον). Literally, a borer; applied as a general term to several different instruments used for boring holes in wood or other substances: —

1. A carpenter's gimlet (Isidor. Orig. xix. 19. 14. Celsus, viii. 3.), which makes fine sawdust (scobis) in the act of boring. (Columell. iv. 29. 15.) This was a very ancient invention, whence it was distinguished by the name of terebra antiqua (Columell. l. c.), and exactly resembled our own, as shown by the annexed example (Terebra/1.1) of an ancient gimlet, from Ginzrot.

2. An auger, which makes fine shavings (ramenta) instead of sawdust, in the act of boring (Columell. iv. 29. 16. Plin. H. N. xvii. 25.); an invention of later date, which was distinguished by the name gallica terebra (Columell. Plin. ll. cc.), and no doubt like our own.

3. (τρυπάνιον). A bow-drill; worked by the bow-string twisted round its handle, and used for piercing small holes in metal, stone, or gems (Plin. H. N. xxxvii. 76.), as it still is by our jewellers. Pliny ascribes its invention to Daedalus (H. N. vii. 57.), and agreeably to that tradition the example (Terebra/3.1) here introduced is lying on the ground beside the bronze heifer which that artist is forming for Pasephae, in a Pompeian painting.

4. (τρυπάνον). A trepan, used by surgeons for cutting out pieces of bone. Celsus, viii. 3.

5. A military engine, adapted for boring into the walls of a besieged town. Vitruv. x. 13. 7.

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  Terebra/1.1
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  Terebra/3.1