mēta ae, f a cone, pyramid: collis in modum metae fastigatus, L.: petra in metae modum erecta, i. e. in the shape of a cone, Cu.

—A conical column at the end of the circus, turning-post, goal: metaque fervidis Evitata rotis, H.: stringam metas interiore rotā, O.

—A goal, winning-post, mark: optatam cursu contingere metam, H.: metam tenebant (in a boat-race), V.: metas lustrare Pachyni, to sail around the turning-point (promontory), V.

—An end, period, extremity, boundary, limit: longarum haec meta viarum, V.: His metas rerum ponere, of dominion, V.: vitae, O.: umbra terrae, quae est meta noctis, the limit of night: sol ex aequo metā distabat utrāque, i. e. it was noon, O.

—Fig.: fama adulescentis paulum haesit ad metas, failed at the critical point.