Acclamations, Chr. Formulas employed by the first Christians to express their grief on the occurrence of some misfortune, or on the other hand, to testify their joy at some piece of good fortune. These acclamations were imitated from the nations of antiquity [e. g. at marriages, “Io Hymen, Hymenæe, Talassio:” at triumphs, “Io, triumphe,” &c.].
Accollée, Her. (1) placed side by side: (2) entwined about the neck.
Accosted, Her. Side by side.
Accrued, Her. Grown to maturity.
Accubitum, R. (ad and cubitum, an elbow). A bed or rather couch of a peculiar kind, upon which the Romans reclined at meals, and which replaced the lectus triclinarius. It was a kind of sofa holding only a single person, while the lectus triclinarius held two or three. The act of reclining on this sofa was called accubitio or accubitus, a term derived from accubo, to recline at table.
Acerra or Acerna, R. (prob. from acer, maple). A small square box with a hinged lid; a coffer used to hold the incense for sacrifices; whence its Latin names arca turalis, arcula turalis, acerra turis custos. The acerra appears on certain bas-reliefs among the sacred utensils. It is to be seen represented on the altar of the small temple of Quirinus, at Pompeii, underneath a garland, and above an augur’s wand. It is generally met with, as being carried by the officiating priests, at religious ceremonies. The attendant carried the acerra in the left hand and employed the right hand to sprinkle the incense on the flame of the altar; whence the expression libare acerra. The term acerra was also used to denote a small portable altar placed before the dead, on which incense was burnt during the time the corpse was exposed to view (collocatio). The altar was also named, from this circumstance, ara turicrema.
Acetabula, R. A kind of bronze cymbals, attached to the hands and feet, as also to the knees. The same name was also given to silver cymbals which were played by striking them with a stick of hard wood.
Acetabulum, R. (from acetum, vinegar). A cup for vinegar used by the Romans at meals.
The acetabulum was also a goblet used by jugglers among the Greeks and Romans to make nutmegs disappear. By the latter these jugglers were called præstigiatores, by the former ψηφοκλέπται or ψηφοπαίκται. Lastly, we find in Pliny the Elder that acetabulum was the name given to a dry measure of capacity, equal to the quarter of a hemina or the half of the quartarius, and equivalent to .1238 of a pint. [The Greek Oxybaphon.]
Acha, Achia, Hachia, Lat. A battle-axe.