minae, ārum, f. root min-, only in Lat.; cf.: mentum, minari, and perh. mons, the projecting points or pinnacles of walls (only poet.). Lit.: minae murorum, Verg. A. 4, 88: moenium, Amm. 24, 2, 12; 24, 2, 19; 29, 6, 11; 20, 6, 2.

— Trop., threats, menaces, of animate and inanimate things (class.). Of living beings: si quidem hercle Aeacidinis minis animisque expletus cedit, Plaut. As. 2, 3, 25: virtutem hominibus instituendo et persuadendo, non minis et vi ac metu tradi, Cic. de Or. 1, 58, 247: terrēre minis, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 301 Mull. (Ann. v. 261): minas jactare, to throw out threats, Cic. Quint. 14, 47: intendere alicui, Tac. A. 3, 36.

—Of the threats used by cattle-drivers, Ov. P. 1, 8, 56.

—Poet., of a bull: nullae in fronte minae, Ov. M. 2, 857; of a snake: tol lentemque minas, raising threats, i. e. raising himself in a threatening posture, Verg. G. 3, 421.

— Of inanimate things (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): aspice, quam saevas increpat aura minas, Prop. 1, 17, 6: hibernae, Tib. 2, 3, 46: ingentes parturit ira minas, Ov. H. 12, 208: caelestes minae territabant, Flor. 2, 8, 3; forebodings of misfortune, Val. Fl. 5, 342.