Lewis & Short

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frĕtum, i, n., and frĕtus, ūs, m. [root φρυ, to be in uneasy motion, boil, flash; cf. Sanscr. bhur; Lat. ferveo], a strait, sound, channel.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.
          1. (α) Form fretum: fretum dictum a similitudine ferventis aquae, quod in fretum saepe concurrat aestus atque differvescat, Varr. L. L. 7, § 22; Isid. Orig. 13, 18: (presteres) freta circum Fervescunt, Lucr. 6, 427: quid de fretis aut de marinis aestibus plura dicam? Cic. Div. 2, 14, 34; cf.: aestus maritimi, fretorumque angustiae, id. N. D. 2, 7, 19; id. Mur. 17, 35: Seston Abydena separat urbe fretum, Ov. Tr. 1, 10, 28: fretum Siciliense, the Sicilian Strait, the Strait of Messina, Cic. N. D. 3, 10, 24; also called fretum Siciliae, Caes. B. C. 2, 3, 1; v. infra: fretum nostri maris et Oceani, i. e. the Gaditanian Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Sall. J. 17, 4.
          2. (β) Form fretus: salis fretus, Lucil. ap. Non. 205, 30; Naev. ib. 27 (Trag. Rel. p. 12 Rib.): angusto fretu, Lucr. 1, 720; cf.: ut perangusto fretu divisa servitutis ac libertatis jura cognosceret, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 66, § 169 (cf. Gell. 13, 20, 15): in Scyllaeo illo aeris alieni tamquam in fretu, Cic. Sest. 8, 18: inter Italiam et Siciliam qui est fretus, Varr. ap. Non. 205, 31: a Gaditano fretu, Cic. ap. Charis. p. 103 P.: angustiae fretus, Messala, ib.: salsi fretus, Licin. ib.
    2. B. In partic., the Strait, for the Strait of Sicily: cum se ille septimo die venisse a freto dixisset, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 5; id. Verr. 2, 1, 59, § 154; 2, 2, 7 fin.; Caes. B. C. 1, 29, 1; Suet. Tib. 2; Flor. 2, 2; Hor. Epod. 9, 7 al.
      1. 2. Hence, Frĕtensis, e, adj.: Fretense mare, i. e. the Strait of Sicily, Cic. Att. 10, 7, 1.
  2. II. Poet. transf.
    1. A. In gen., the sea (syn.: mare, oceanus, pelagus, pontus).
      Plur.: fervet fretis spirantibus aequor, Verg. G. 1, 327: in freta dum fluvii current, id. A. 1, 607; cf. Ov. M. 1, 36: pastor cum traheret per freta navibus Idaeis Helenen, Hor. C. 1, 15, 1: fretis acrior Hadriae, id. ib. 1, 33, 15.
      Sing.: Euxinum, Ov. P. 2, 2, 2: Libycum, id. F. 3, 568.
    2. * B. Of the sky: (pulvis) omnem pervolat caeli fretum, Enn. ap. Non. 205, 29 (Trag. v. 31 Vahl.).
    3. * C. Of the spring, as the period of transition from cold to heat: fretus ipse anni permiscet frigus et aestum, Lucr. 6, 364; so, freta anni, ib. 374 ex conject. Lachm. v. ej. annot. p. 369.
    4. D. A raging, swelling, heat, violence: aetatis freta, Lucr. 4, 1030; cf.: fretum adolescentiae, id est secunda imperii aetas, Flor. 1, 26: invidiae atque acerbitatis fretum effervescit, Gell. 10, 3, 7.

1. frētus, a, um, adj. [root dhar-, Sanscr. dhar-ā-mi, hold, support; v. frēnum], leaning or supported on something, in a good or bad sense; relying or depending upon, trusting to; daring (class.; cf.: fultus, nixus).
Constr. with abl., rarely with dat., with inf. (poet.), and with objectclause.

        1. (α) With abl.: omnes mortales dis sunt freti, Plaut. Cas. 2, 5, 38 sq.: magnanimi viri freti virtute et viribus, id. Am. 1, 1, 56: ingenio ejus, id. Capt. 2, 2, 100: dote, id. Men. 5, 2, 17: vobis, Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 33: vobis fretus, Cic. Planc. 42, 103: fretus intellegentiā vestrā, id. N. D. 1, 19, 49: fretus conscientiā officii mei, id. Fam. 3, 7, 6: gratiā Bruti, id. Att. 5, 21, 12: ingenio, id. de Or. 2, 24, 103: juventā, Verg. A. 5, 430 al.: amicitiis, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 7, 25: pondere enim fretae (res) stant, Lucr. 6, 1058: ferro et animis, Liv. 9, 40, 4: malitiā suā, Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 43: multitudine solā, Liv. 9, 35, 3.
        2. (β) With dat. (only in Liv.; v. Zumpt, Gram. § 413): multitudo hostium, nulli rei praeterquam numero freta, Liv. 6, 13, 1; cf.: tamquam constantissimae rei, fortunae, id. 4, 37, 6; so, discordiae hostium, id. 6, 31, 6: haec civitas Samnitium infidae adversus Romanos societati freta, id. 8, 22, 7.
        3. (γ) With inf.: (naves) pontum irrumpere fretae Longius, daring, venturing, Stat. Th. 6, 23.
        4. (δ) With object-clause: satis fretus esse etiam nunc tolerando certamini legatum, Liv. 10, 5, 5: fretus excipi posse (hostem), qua venturum sciebat, Curt. 7, 7, 31.

2. frētus, ūs, m. [1. fretus], reliance, confidence (post-class.): animi tui fretu, Symm. Ep. 2, 82.

3. frĕtus, ūs, m., a strait; v. fretum.