Horreum (dimin. horreolum), R. (1) Literally, a place in which ripe fruits were kept; a granary, or storehouse for grain; horreum publicum was the public granary. (2) Any storehouse or depôt; horrea subterranea, cellars. (3) It was applied to places in which works of art were kept, and Seneca calls his library a horreum.
Horse. In Christian art, the emblem of courage and generosity; attribute of St. Martin, St. Maurice, St. George, and others. The Chinese have a sacred horse, which is affirmed to have appeared from a river to the philosopher Fou-hi, bearing instruction in eight diagrams of the characters proper to express certain abstract ideas.
Horse-shoe, Arch. A form of the stilted arch elevated beyond half the diameter of the curve on which it is described. (See Arch.)
Hortus (dimin. hortulus), R. A pleasure-garden, park, and thence a kitchen garden; horti pensiles were hanging gardens. The most striking features of a Roman garden were lines of large trees planted in regular order; alleys or walks (ambulationes) formed by closely clipped hedges of box, yew, cypress, and other ever greens; beds of acanthus, rows of fruit-trees especially of vines, with statues, pyramids, fountains, and summer-houses (diætæ). The Romans were fond of the art of cutting and twisting trees, especially box, into figures of animals, ships, &c. (ars topiaria). The principal garden-flowers seem to have been violets and roses, and they had also the crocus, narcissus, lily, gladiolus, iris, poppy, amaranth, and others. Conservatories and hot-houses are frequently mentioned by Martial. An ornamental garden was also called viridarium, and the gardener topiarius or viridarius. The common name for a gardener is villicus or cultor hortorum. (Consult Smith’s Dict. of Ant.)
Hospitium, R. (hospes, a guest). A general term to denote any place in which a traveller finds shelter, board, and lodging. [The word had a very wide meaning of hospitality, regulated in all its details by the religious and social and politic sentiments of the nations.]
Hostia, R. (hostio, to strike). A victim offered in sacrifice.
Hot Cockles, O. E. A game common in the Middle Ages.
Hot-houses, O. E. The name for Turkish baths; 16th century.
Houppeland, O. E. A very full loose upper garment with large hanging sleeves; 14th century. It was probably introduced from Spain, and was something like a cassock.
House. (See Domus.)