Lewis & Short

rīvus, i, m. [root ri- (li-), to flow, drop; Gr. λίμνη; cf. liris; Sanscr. rīna, flowing; cf. ripa], a small stream of water, a brook (cf.: fluvius, amnis).

  1. I. Lit.: rivus est locus per longitudinem depressus, quo aqua decurrat, cui nomen est ἀπὸ τοῦ ῤεῖν, Dig. 43, 21 (de rivis), 1: rivorum a fonte deductio, Cic. Top. 8, 33: prostrati in gramine molli Propter aquae rivum, by a waterbrook, Lucr. 2, 30; so, aquae, id. 5, 1392; Hor. C. 3, 16, 29; cf. Inscr. Orell. 51: omnia flumina atque omnes rivos, qui ad mare pertinebant, etc., Caes. B. C. 3, 49; 3, 37; cf. 3, 88 fin.; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 7: pronus, id. ib. 1, 10, 21; id. C. 1, 29, 11: mobiles, id. ib. 1, 7, 14; cf. celeres, id. ib. 3, 11, 14: gelidi, id. ib. 3, 13, 7; id. Ep. 1, 18, 104: claudite jam rivos, Verg. E. 3, 111: tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus, id. G. 4, 19.
    Prov.: e rivo flumina magna facere, to magnify an insignificant object; or, as we say, to make a mountain of a mole-hill, Ov. P. 2, 5, 22.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. An artificial water-course, channel, canal, Dig. 7, 1, 61; 8, 3, 15; 8, 4, 11.
        1. b. A gutter, Vitr. 8, 6 (7), 1 al.
      2. 2. Of other liquids, a stream, etc. (mostly poet.): manabat venis ferventibus argenti rivus et auri, Lucr. 5, 1256: lactis uberes, Hor. C. 2, 19, 11: sanguinis, Verg. A. 11, 668; Liv. 26, 23; Curt. 4, 9, 13: sudoris, Verg. A. 5, 200: lacrimarum, Ov. M. 9, 655: ignium, Plin. 2, 106, 110, § 236: rivis currentia vina, Verg. G. 1, 132.
  2. II. Trop., a stream (very rare; v. rivulus, II.): liquidus fortunae rivus, Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 9: facundiae rivus, Lact. Opif. Dei, 20 fin.