veternus, a, um, adj. vetus, of great age, old, ancient (only post-class.). Adj.: rupes, Fulg. Myth. 1 praef.: silentia, Prud. Cath. 9, 68.

— Subst.: veter-nus, i, m. * Old age, age, Stat. Th. 6, 94.

— Old dirt (post-Aug. and very rare), Col. 4, 24, 6; App. M. 9, p. 223.

— Lethargy, somnolence (as a disease of aged people). Lit.: num eum veternus aut aqua intercus tenet? Plaut. Men. 5, 4, 3.

—Of the deep, long sleep or torpidity of bears, Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 127.

— Trop., drowsiness, dulness, sluggishness, sloth (freq., but not in Cic.), Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 4 (cited ap. Cic. Fam. 2, 13, 3); Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 10; Verg. G. 1, 124; Cat. 17, 24; Col. 7, 5, 3; 7, 10, 4; App. Flor. 3, p. 357.