- A -

Dictionary of Latin Phrases and Proverbs: A

ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia
Consequences of abuse do not aply to general use

ab actu ad posse valet illatio
From the past one can infer the future

ab aeterno
From the beginning of time

ab asino lanam
Wool from an ass (blood from a stone)

a bene placito
At pleasure

abest
S/he is absent

abeunt studia in mores
Pursuits change into habits (Ovid)

ab extra
From the outside

abiit ad maiores
S/he has gone to the ancestors (i.e., died)

abiit ad plures
S/he has gone to the majority (i.e., died)

abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit
He has departed, gone off, escaped, broken out (Cicero)

ab imo pectore
From the bottom of the heart

ab inconvenienti
From the inconvenience involved

ab incunabulis
From infancy (from the cradle)

ab initio
From the beginning

ab intra
From within

ab invito
Against the will; unwillingly

ab Iove principium
From Jove is my beginning (words of Aeneas, Virgil)

ab irato
From the angryman (i.e., unfair)

abnormis sapiens
A natural born philosopher (Horace)

ab origine
From the origin; from the first

ab ove maiori discit arare minor
From the older ox the younger learns to plow

ab ovo
From the egg (i.e., from the beginning)

ab ovo usque ad mala
From the egg to the apples (i.e., from the beginning to the end)

abscisio infiniti
Cutting off an infinite part

absense haeres non erit
The absent one will not be heir

absente febre
Without fever

absentem laedit cum ebrio qui litigat
To quarrel with a drunk is to wrong a man who is not even there

absente reo
The defendant being absent

absit invidia
May ill will be absent (i.e., no offense intended)

absit omen
May the omen be absent (i.e., God forbid)

absolvo
I absolve; I acquit

absque
Without; but for

absque hoc
But for this; apart from this

absque ulla nota
Without any marks

ab uno ad omnes
From one to all

ab uno disce omnes
From one example, learn all (Virgil)

ab urbe condita (A.U.C.)
From the foundation of the city (i.e., Rome; traditional date of foundation is 753 BC)

abusus non tollit usum
Abuse of a right does not invalidate use

abyssus abyssum invocat
Hells calls hell (the Vulgate translation of the Bible)

a capite ad calcem
From head to heel (totally, entirely)

accedas ad curiam
You may approach the court

accessit
S/he came near (i.e., a runner-up)

accipiunt leges, populus quibus legibus ex lex
They consent to laws which place people beyond the pale of the law

accusare nemo se debit, nisi coram Deo
No one is bound to accuse herself/himself, unless before God

acerbus et ingens
Fierce and mighty

ac etiam
And also

Acheruntis pabulum
Food for Acheron (i.e., food for the gallows)

a caelo usque ad centrum
From the sky to the centre of the earth

a cruce salus
Salvation [comes] from the cross

acta eruditorum
Contributions to a cause

acta est fabula
The drama has been acted out (Augustus)

acta sanctorum
Deeds of the saints (Jean Bolland)

actio ex delicto
Cause of action (i.e., reason for lawsuit)

actio personalis moritur cum personal
Personal action dies with the person

actum agere
To do what has already been done

actum est de re publica
It is all over with the republic/commonwealth

actum ne agas
Do not redo that which has been done

actus curiae
Act of the court

actus Dei
act of God

actus reus
The criminal act; the guilty act

a cuspide corona
From the spear a crown

ab absurdum
To the absurd

ad alium diem
At another day

ad amussim
According to a rule (i.e., accurately)

ad aperturam libri
At the opening of a book

ad arbitrium
At will (i.e., at pleasure)

ad astra
To the starts (i.e., to the top)

ad astra per aspera
To the stars through dificulties (motto of the state of Kansas)

a dato
From the date

ad baculum
To the rod (i.e., appeal to force, not reason)

ad augusta per angusta
To honour through difficulties

ad calendas Graecas
To the Greek calends (i.e., never, as Greeks did not have calends)

ad captandum
For the sake of pleasing

ad captandum vulgus
Appealing to the emotions of the crowd

ad clerum
To the clergy

ad crumenam
To the purse (i.e., appealing to self-interest)

ad damnum
To the damages (i.e., amount demanded)

addendum
Something to be added

adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit
Add a little to a little and there will be a great heap (Ovid)

additur
Let it be increased

ad effectum
Until effectual

a Deo et rege
From God andthe king

adeo in teneris consuescere multum est
[It is] imperative to form habits in the early years (Virgil)

a Deo lux nostra
Our light comes from God

adesse
To be present

Adeste Fideles
Ocome, all ye faithful

ad eundem gradum
To the same degree (i.e., equal blame or praise)

ad extra
To the outside

ad extremum
To the extreme (i.e., to the end)

ad fidem
To faith (i.e., in allegiance)

ad filum aquae
To the center of the stream

ad filum viae
To the centre of the road

ad finem
To the end; at the end of the page

ad finem fidelis
Faithful to the end

ad gloriam
For the glory

ad gustum
To one's taste

ad hanc vocem
To this word

adhibenda est in iocando moderatio
One should employ restraint in his/her jests (Cicero)

adhibendus
To be administered

ad hoc
To this; for a specific occasion; impromptu

ad hominem
Personal attack relating to the individual

adhuc sub iudice lis est
The case is still before the court

ad hunc locum
At this place

ad idem
To the same point

a die
From that day

ad ignorantium
To ignorance [of the facts of an argument]

ad infinitum
Without an end; to infinity; without limit

ad initium
At the beginning

ad instar
After the fashion of...

ad instar omnium
In the likeness of all

ad interim
In the meantime; for the time being

ad internecionem
To extermination

ad invidiam
To envy; to prejudice

ad iudicium
To judgement; to common sense

adiuvante Deo labor proficit
With God's help, work prospers

ad libitum (ad lib)
At pleasure; extemporaneously or freely

ad limina apostolorum
To the thresholds of the apostles

ad litem
For the specific lawsuit

ad litteram
To the letter (i.e., precisely)

ad locum
At the place, at a specific location

ad majorem Dei gloriam
To the greater glory of God (motto of the Jesuits)

ad manum
At hand (i.e., ready and prepared)

ad meliora vertamur
Let us turn to better things

ad misericordiam
To pity (i.e., appealing to mercy)

ad modum
In the manner of

ad multos annos
After many years

ad nauseam
To the point of sickness; to the point of being disgusted

ad nocendum patentes sumus
We all have power to do harm (Seneca)

ad partes dolentes
To the painful parts

ad patres
To the fathers (i.e., dead)

ad paucos dies
For a few days

ad perpetuam rei memoriam
For the eternal/perpetual rememberance of the thing

ad personal
To the person; relating to the individual

ad populum
To the people

ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora ad quem ad quod
Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow

ad quem
To or for whom; to or for which

ad quod
To which; for which

ad quod damnum
To what damage

ad referendum
For reference; for further consideration

ad rem
To the thing; relevant to the present matter

ad saturatum
To saturation

adscriptus glebae
A person bound tothe soil; a serf

ad sectam
At the lawsuit of

adstante febre
When fever is present

adsum
I am present; to be present

ad summam
In short; in a word

adsummum
To the highest point

adulter
Corrupter; seducer

ad unguem
To the fingernail (i.e., with great precision)

ad unguemfactus
A highly polished work; to perfection

ad unguem factus homo
A man polished tothe nail (Horace)

adc unum omnes
All to one; in a unanimous fashion

ad usum
According to custom

ad usum Delphini
For the Dauphin's use; expurgated

ad usum externum
For external use

ad usum externum
For external use

ad utrumque paratus
Ready for anything; prepared for the worst

ad valorem
According to value

ad verbum
To the word; verbatim

ad verecundiam
Appeal to modesty in an argument

adversa
Things having been noted...

adversa virtute repello
I repel adversity by valor

adversaria
That which has been turned to; commentary

adversus
Against; contrary to

adversus bonos mores
Against good morals

adversus solem ne loquitor
Don't speak against the sun (i.e., an obvious fact)

ad vitam
For life; for the duration of a person's life

ad vitam aeternam
For eternal life; for all time

ad vitam aut culpam
For life or until a misdeed

ad vivum
To the life

advocatus diaboli
Devil's advocate

aedificatum
That which is built

aeger
To be sick; medical excuse of a British student

aeger amore
Love's sickness

aegra amans
Lover's sickness

aegrescit medendo
The disease worsens with treatment (Virgil)

aegri somnia vana
A sick man's dream; hallucination (Virgil)

aegrotat
S/he is sick; certificate denoting illness

aequabiliter et diligenter
Uniformly and diligently

aequales
Equal parts

aequam servare mentem
To preserve a calm mind; equanimity (Horace)

aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem
Remember to maintain a calm mind while doing difficult tasks (Virgil)

aequanimiter
With composure; with equanimity

aequilibrium indifferentiae
State of exact balance between two actions

aequitas sequitur legem
Equity follows the law

aequo animo
With a calm mind; with equanimity

aequo pulsat pede
[Pale Death] knocks with equal foot (Horace)

aere perennius
More durable than bronze; everlasting

aes alienum
Money belonging to another; a debt

aes triplex
Triple brass; a strong defense

aestimatio capitis
Estimation of the head; price of a man

aetatis
At the age of

aetatis suae
In the year of one's life

aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus
Nursing an everlasting wound within the breast (Virgil)

aeternum vale
Farewell forever

affinitas
Relationship by marriage

afflaltus
Breath; breeze; poetic inspiration

afflatus montium
Mountain air

afflavit Deus et dissipantur
God sent forth His breath and they were scattered (reference to the Spanish Armada)

a fortiori
With even stronger reason; all the more

a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi
a precipice in front and wolves behind

age quod agis
Do what you are doing (i.e., pay attention to what you are doing)

aggrediente febre
When the fever increases

agita
Shake or stir

agita nate sumendum
Shake before taking

agnosco veteris vestigia flammae
I feel once more the scars of the old flame (Virgil)

Agnus Dei
The Lamb of God (portion of Catholic Mass)

a latere
From the side; with confidence

albae gallinae filius
Son of a white hen (i.e., auspicious event)

albo lapillo notare diem
To mark the day with a white stone

albus
White

albus liber
White book

alea iacta est
The die is cast (Julius Caesar, having made the decision to cross the Rubicon in 49 BC)

alere flammam
To feed the flames (Ovid)

alias
Otherwise; at another time

alias dictus
An assumed name; also known as

alia tendanda via est
Another way must be tried

alibi
Elsewhere

alieni appetens
Eager for another's property

alieni appetens sui profusus
Covetous of another's possession, lavish of his own (Sallust)

alieni generis
Of a different class

alieni iuris (alieni juris)
Subject to another law

alienum est onme quicquid optando evenit
What we obtain by asking is not really ours

alimenta
Means of support (i.e., food, clothing, shelter)

alio intuitu
From another point of view

aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus
Sometimes even good Homer sleeps

aliquant
An uneven part of the whole

aliquid
Something; somewhat

aliquis in omnibus, nullus in singulis
A somebody in general, nobody in particular

aliquot
An even part of the whole

alis volat propriis
She flies by her own wings (motto of Oregon)

alitur vitium vivitque tegendo
Vice is nourished by being concealed

aliunde
From another source; from outside

alma mater
Kind/bounteous/benign mother (i.e., protective institution, as referred to by its former students)

alter
Another person; personality ofanother

altercatio
Forensic argumentation; cross-examination

alter ego
One's second self; very close friend

alter ego est amicus
A friend is another self

alter idem
Another thing similar in all respects

alter ipse amicus
A friend is a second self

alteri sic tibi
[Do] to another as [you do] to yourself

alternis diebus
Every other day

alternis horis
Every other hour

alternis noctibus
Every other night

alterum alterius auxilio eget
One thing needs the help of another

alterum non laedere
Not to injure others

alterum tantum
As much again; twice as much

altiora peto
I seek higher things

altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labiuntur
The deepest rivers flow with the least sound (i.e., still waters run deep)

amabit sapiens, cupient caeteri
Wise men love, others are mere lechers

amans iratus multa mentitur sibi
An angry lover tells himself many lies

amantes sunt amentes
Lovers are lunatics (Terence)

amantium irae amoris integratio est
A lovers' quarrel renews love (Terence)

amare et saper vix deo conceditur
Even a god finds it difficult to love and to be wise at the same time

amari aliquid
Something bitter; a touch of bitterness

a maximis ad minima
From the largest to the smallest

ambigendi locus
Room for doubt

a mensa et toro
From table and bed (i.e., a legal separation)

amici probantur rebus adversis
Friends are proved by adversity (Cicero)

amicitiae immortales mortales inimicitias debere esse
Our friendships should be immortal, our enmities mortal (Livy)

amicitia semper prodest
Friendship is always of benefit

amicitia sine fraude
Friendship without deceit

amicus certus in re incerta cernitur
A friend in need is a friend indeed

amicus curiae
Friend of the court (i.e., impartial spokesperson)

amicus est tanquam alter idem
A friend is almost a second self

amicus humani generis
A friend of the human race (i.e., philanthropist)

amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas
Plato is my friend, but a greater friend is truth

amicus usque ad aras
A friend to the altars (i.e., a friend until death or until relilgious convictions prevent action)

a minori ad maius
From the lesser to the greater

amissum quod nescitur non amittitur
The loss that is unknown is no loss at all (Publius Syrus)

amor animi arbitrio sumitur, non ponitur
We choose to love, we do not choose to stop loving

amor gignit amorem
Love produces love

amor habendi
Love of possessing

amori finem tempus, non animus facit
Time, not the mind, puts an end to love

amoris vulnis idem sanat qui facit
The wounds of love are cured by love itself

ammor magnus doctor est
Love is a great teacher (St. Augustine)

amor nummi
Love of money

amor patriae
Love of one's country

amor proximi
Love of one's neighbour

amor sceleratus habendi
Accursed love of possessing (Ovid)

amor vincit omnia
Love conquers all things (Virgil)

amor vincit omnia et nos cedamus amori
Love conquers all things and let us yield to love (Virgil)

amoto quaeramus seria ludo
Setting games aside, let's get on to serious matters (Horace)

amo ut invenio
I love as I find

ancilla theologiae
The handmaid of theology (i.e., philosophy)

Angelus Domini
Angle of the Lord (a Morning Prayer)

anguis in herba
A snake in the grass (i.e., a hidden danger)

angulus ridet
That corner of the earth smiles (Horace)

angulus terrarum
Quiet corner of the world; place of repose ___

adversus solem ne loquitor
Don't speak against the sun (Don't argue what is obvious)

a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi
A precipice in front, wolves behind (between a rock and a hard place)

alea iacta est
The die is cast. (Julius Caesar, when making the decision to cross the Rubicon in 49 BC)

amare et sapere vix deo conceditur
Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time

amicus humani generis
A friend of the human race (philanthropist)

amor vincit omnia
Love conquers all

animis opibusque parati
Prepared in minds and resources (ready for anything)

audaces fortuna iuvat
Fortune favours the brave

aut disce aut discede
Either learn or leave

aut viam inveniam aut faciam
I'll either find a way or make one

aut vincere aut mori
Either to conquer or to die

ave, Caesar, morituri te salutamus
Hail, Caesar, we who are about to die salute you

age quod agis!
Do what you are doing!

ars gratia artis
Art is the reward of art.

assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit. (M.Tullius Cicero).
Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdoes both intelligence and skill.

aliquando et insanire iucundum est.
It is sometimes pleasant even to act like a madman.

aliquisne domum est?
Is anyone home?

ab extra
From without

ab initio
From the beginning

ab ovo
From the egg

ab uno disce omnes
From one example you may judge the rest

ab urbe condita
From the founding of the city (Rome - 753 BC)

ad astra
To the stars

ad calendas graecas
At the greek calends (never, since the greek had no calends)

a deo et rege
From god and the king

ad finem
To the end/towards the end

ad hoc
For this purpose

ad hominem
To the man personally

a die
From that day

ad infinitum
To infinity

ad libitum
At pleasure

ad majorem del gloriam
For the greater glory of god

ad nauseam
To the point where one becomes sick/disgusted

ad rem
To the point

ad valorem
According to the value

aetatis suae
Of his or her age

a fortiori
With stronger reason

alma mater
Benign mother (old students about their university)

alter ego
One's second self

anno domini
In the year of our lord

anno mundi
In the year of the world

annus mirabillis
The year of wonders

ante bellum
Before the war

ante meridiem
Before noon

aqua vitae
Water of life

ars est celare artem
True art is to conceal art

ars longa vita brevis
Art is long life is short

audi alterem partem
Hear to the other side

ava atque vale
Hail and farewell

ab imo pectore
From the bottom of the chest (from the heart)

ab absurdo
From the absurd (proving the validity of your argument by pointing out the absurdity of your opponent's position)

abusus non tollit usum
Misuse does not nullify proper use

ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora
Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow (a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush)

aegrescit medendo
The disease worsens with the treatment (the remedy is worse than the disease)

aeternum vale
Farewell forever

altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi
The deepest rivers flow with the least sound (still waters run deep)

amantes sunt amentes
Lovers are lunatics

amantium irae amoris integratio est
Lovers quarrels are the renewal of love

argumentum ad hominem
An argument against the man. Directing an argument against an opponent's character rather than the subject at hand.

asinus asinum fricat
The ass rubs the ass (two people flattering each other)