Lewis & Short

versūra (vors-), ae, f. [verto], a turning round, twirling about, rotating.

  1. I. Lit.: foliorum, Varr. R. R. 1, 46: ejus loci (coxendicum), id. L. L. 7, § 67 Müll.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. The turning-place, turn at the end of a furrow, Col. 2, 2, 28; Pall. 2, 3, 1.
    2. B. In archit., a turn, corner, angle of a wall, Vitr 3, 1; 5, 6 fin.; 5, 12; or in a water conduit, id. 8, 7.
    3. C. (Qs. a changing of one’s creditor.) The borrowing of money to pay a debt (the class. signif. of the word); and hence, in gen., a borrowing, loan: versuram facere mutuam pecuniam sumere ex eo dictum est, quod initio qui mutuabantur ab aliis, non ut domum ferrent, sed ut aliis solverent, velut verterent creditorem, Fest. p. 379 Müll.: eos homines versuram a Carpinatio fecisse, qui pecunias Verri dedissent, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 76, § 186: sine mutuatione et sine versurā dissolvere, id. Tusc. 1, 42, 100: Salaminii cum Romae versuram facere vellent, non poterant, id. Att. 5, 21, 12; 15, 20, 4; id. Font. 5, 11; id. Fl. 20, 48: cum versuram facere publice necesse esset, Nep. Att. 2, 4; 9, 5.
      Trop., Sen. Ep. 19, 9; id. Ben. 5, 8, 3: vereor, ne illud, quod tecum permutavi, versurā mihi solvendum sit, is to be paid by a new loan, Cic. Att. 5, 15, 2: versurā factā solvere, id. ib. 5, 1, 2: non modo versurā, verum etiam venditione, si ita res coget, nos vindicabis, id. ib. 16, 2, 2: versura vetita, Tac. A. 6, 16.
      Prov.: in eodem luto haesitas, vorsurā solves, you pay by borrowing, i. e. you get out of one difficulty by getting into another, Ter. Phorm. 5, 2, 15; Lact. 2, 8, 24.