alvĕus, i, m. (alveum, n., ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. naustibulum, p. 169 Müll.) [alvus], a hollow, a cavity. I. In gen.: vitiosae ilicis alveo
, Verg. G. 2, 453.—II. Esp. A. A hollow, deep vessel, a basket, trough, tray; also, a deep cavity, excavation, Cato, R. R. 11, 5: in alveo
, id. ib. 11, 81: fluitans alveus
, Liv. 1, 4; Plin. 11, 10, 10, 22: alveus scrobis
, Col. 4, 4, 2 al.—B. The hold or hull of a ship: alveos navium
, Sall. J. 18, 5: alvei navium quassati
, Liv. 23, 34.—Hence (pars pro toto), a small ship, a boat, skiff: cavatus ex materiā alveus
, Vell. 2, 107: accipit alveo Aeneam
, Verg. A. 6, 412.—C. A hollowed gaming-board, Varr. ap. Non. 108, 33: alveus cum tesseris lusorius
, Plin. 37, 2, 6, 13; Suet. Claud. 33: alveo et calculis vacare
, Val. Max. 8, 8, n. 2.—D. = alvus and alvearium, a beehive (in Pliny, alvus (Jan), q. v. II. C.): gens universa totius alvei consumitur
, Col. 9, 4, 3; so id. 9, 4, 1; 9, 9, 4; App. M. 4, p. 150, 37.—E. A bathing-tub: in balneum venit ... ut in alveum descenderet, etc., Auct. ad Her. 4, 10; Cic. Cael. 28.—F. The channel or bed of a river: fluminis alveo
, Verg. A. 7, 33; id. G. 1, 203: fluminis Ritu feruntur, nunc medio alveo Cum pace delabentis etc.
, Hor. C. 3, 29, 34: nec quisquam citus aeque Tusco denatat alveo
, id. ib. 3, 7, 28 Müll. (not elsewhere): pleno alveo fluere
, Quint. 2, 1, 4: alveo navigabile perfodere angustias
, i. e. a canal
, Plin. 4, 4, 5, 10: per crepidinem alvei
, Vulg. Exod. 2, 5: reversae sunt aquae in alveum suum
, ib. Jos. 4, 18 al.