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POSI > LANGUAGE > Latin Wit
Latin
Wit
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A
Ab
ovo |
From the egg; from the beguinning |
A
contrario |
On the contrary |
Abusus
non tollit usum |
Wrong use does not preclude proper use |
Acerbum
sane et luctuosum nuntium |
Acerbic and sad news |
Ad
nauseam |
To the point of disgust |
Ad
(in) usum delphini |
For the use of the dauphin (expurgated) |
Ad
experimentum |
As an experiment |
Ad
hoc |
For this purpose, with respect to this |
Ad
hominem |
Appealing to a person's physical and emotional urges, rather
than her or his intellect |
Ad
metalla |
The condamnation in the minings |
Ad
multos annos |
To many years |
Ad
rem |
To the point |
Advocatus
nascitur, non fit |
A lawyer is born, not made (Cicero) |
A
fortiori |
All the more so, with greater reason |
Age
quod agis |
Do what you do well, pay attention to what you are doing |
Alea
jacta est |
The dice is cast (Julius Caesar) |
Alma
mater |
Nourishing mother; one's old school, college, university |
Alieno
nomine |
With an other name |
Alter
idem amicissimus |
Another self-most friendly |
Amat
victoria curam |
Victory favors those who take pains |
Amicus
certus in re incerta cernitur |
A true friend is discerned during an uncertain matter |
Amor
caecus est |
Love is blind |
Amor
ordinem nescit |
Love does not know order (St. Jerome) |
Amor
platonicus |
Platonic love |
Annus
pauca in verba redactus |
The year summarized in a few words |
Arduum
sane munus |
A truly arduous task |
Arguendo |
For the sake of argument |
Ars
perdita |
A lost art |
Astra
inclinant, non necessitant |
The stars incline; they do not determine |
At
est bonus, ut melior vir non alius quisquam, at tibi amicus |
But he is a good man, so that not another man is better, but
he is your friend (Horace) |
Aut
Caesar aut nihil |
Either Caesar or nothing |
Ave,
Imperator, morituri te salutamus |
Hail, Caesar; we who are about to die salute you |
B
Bene
legere saecla vincere |
To read well is to master the ages. (Latin
motto inscribed over the north door of Loan Hall, Doe Library,
University of California; from Emeritus Professor Isaac Flagg) |
Bona
fides |
Good faith |
Bonum
est faciendum et prosequendum, et malum vitandum |
The goal of human conduct is to do and pursue good and to
avoid evil (St. Thomas Aquinas) |
C
Caelum
videre iussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus |
He bid them look at the sky and lift their faces
to the stars (Ovid.) |
Caput
mundi |
Head of the world |
Caritas
amicitia quaedam est hominis ad deum |
Charity is a kind of love of man for god (St. Thomas
Aquinas) |
Casus
conscientiae |
A case of conscience |
Causa
belli |
Cause of war |
Causa
celebrationis |
A cause for celebration |
Caveat
emptor! |
Let the buyer be careful! |
Cedant
arma togae |
Let generals yield to civilians (let arms yield to the toga) |
Ceteris
paribus |
All else being equal |
Continuando |
By way of continuing |
Contra
bonos mores |
Against the good morals |
Contra
formam humani generis |
Contrary to the human nature (monster) |
Cotidiana
vilescunt |
Familiarity breeds contempt |
Credite
amori vera dicenti |
Believe love speaking the truth (St. Jerome) |
Credo
ut intelligam |
I believe in order that I may understand (St. Augustine) |
Cuius
regio, eius religio |
Whose district it is, his religion it is |
Cura
nihil aliud nisi ut valeas |
Pay attention to nothing except that you do well (Cicero) |
Cura
ut valeas |
Take care |
Custos
morum |
Keeper of morals |
D
Damnant
quod non intellegunt |
They condemn what they do not understand |
De
bene esse |
It shall be so, as long as it is well |
De
facto |
By force |
De
jure |
Legally |
De
lana caprina rixari |
To argue over goat's wool (over nothing) |
De
Maria numquam satis |
About Mary, nothing (is) enough |
De
more |
According to custom |
Delenda
est Carthago |
Let Carthage be destroyed |
Deus
qui nobis vitam eodem tempore et libertatem dedit |
The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time
(Thomas Jefferson) |
Dies
amaritudinis |
Days of bitterness |
Dies
nefasti |
Blackletter days |
Divine
et impera |
Divide and rule (Niccolo Machiavelli) |
Do
ut des |
I give so that you give back |
Docendo
discitur |
By teaching, one learns |
Domini
voluntas fiat |
The will of the lord be done |
Dulce
est dissipere in loco |
It is pleasant to tarry on a topic |
Dulce
et decorum est pro patria mori |
It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country (Horace) |
Dum
tempus habemus, operemur bonum |
While we have the time, let us do good |
Dura
lex, sed lex |
The law is tough, but it is law |
E
E
pluribus unum |
One out of many (Motto of the United States) |
Ecclesia
semper reformada est |
The church must always be reformed |
Esse
quam videri |
To be rather than to seem |
Et
id omnegenus |
And that whole type |
Est
queadam fiere voluptas |
There is a certain pleasure in weeping |
Evinvere
malum bono |
To prevail over evil with good |
Ex
cearulo |
Out of the blue |
Ex
gratia |
As a favour |
Ex
nihilo |
From nothing |
Ex
umbris ei imaginibus in veritatem |
From shadows and images to the truth |
Ex
ungue leonem |
By the claw the lion is revealed |
Exitus
acta probat |
The outcome proves the deeds (the end justifies the means) |
Experientia
docet |
Experience teaches |
Experto
credite |
Believe the expert |
Expressis
verbis |
With expressed words |
Extra
ecclesiam nulla salus |
Outside the church, there is no salvation |
F
Facilis
descentus averni |
Easy to descent to the hell |
Factus
est Deus homo ut homo fieret Deus |
God was made a man so that a man might become a God |
Falsus
in uno, falsus in omnibus |
Untrue in one thing, untrue in everything |
Felix
culpa |
Oh happy mistake |
Festina
lente |
Make haste slowly |
Fides
quaerens intellectum |
Faith seeking understanding |
Fides
sola iustificat |
Faith alone justifies |
Finis
coronat opus |
The end crowns the work |
Frangar
non flectar |
I am broken, I am not deflected |
G
Grammatici
certant et adhuc sub lucide lis est |
Grammarians dispute and the case is still before
the court |
Grande
nimis |
Too great |
H
Hoc
est in votis |
This is in my prayers |
Hoc
est verum et nihili nisi verum |
This is the truth and nothing but the truth |
Homo
proponit, sed Deus disponit |
Man proposes but God disposes |
Horas
numero, nisi serenas |
I count the hours, not only the happy ones (inscription
on solar clocks) |
I
Ille
dolet vere qui sine teste dolet |
He truly grieves who grieves when none is there |
Illegitimis
nil carborundum |
Don't let the bastards grind you down |
In
angustis |
In difficulties |
In
camera |
In chamers (in secret) |
In
capite et in membris |
In root and branch |
In
casu extremae necessitatis |
In case of extreme necessity |
In
Deo speramus |
In God we trust |
In
medio futissimus ibis |
You will go safest in the middle |
In
necessariis unitas, in dubilis libertas, in omnibus caritas |
In necessary things, unity; in dubious things, liberty; in
all things, charity (St. Augustine) |
In
pari materia |
Of like kind |
In
silvam ne ligna feras |
Don't carry logs into the forest (Horace) |
Indulgentiam
quaeso |
I ask your indulgence |
Inquietum
est cornostrum, donec requiescat in te |
Our heart is restless, until it rests in you (St. Augustine) |
Intellectum
valde amat |
Love the intellect strongly (St. Augustine) |
Intelligo
me intelligere |
I understand that I understand (St. Augustine) |
Intelligo
me velle |
I understand that I will (St. Augustine) |
Inter
vivos |
Living |
Interdico
aliqui aqua et igni |
I forbid someone water and fire - I send someone in exile |
Interdiction
aquae et igni |
Exile |
Interest
reipublicae ut sit finis litium |
It is in the republic interest that there be an end to lawsuits |
Interfice
errorem, diligere errantem |
Kill the sin, love the sinner (St. Augustine) |
Interna
corporis |
The private matters |
Intrinsicus
sunt cavi |
They are hollow inside |
Iocandi
causa |
For joke's shake |
Ipsa
scientia potestas est |
For knowledge itself is power |
Iuris
prudentia |
Law science |
K
L
Laborum
dulce lenimen |
Sweet solace of labors |
Laudatores
temporis acti |
Praisers of time past |
Lectio
brevior lectio potior |
The shortest reading is the more probable reading |
Lex
communis omnium |
The common law of all |
Lex
malla, lex nulla |
A bad law is no law (St. Thomas Aquinas) |
Lex
naturalis |
Natural law |
Lex
terrae |
Law of the land |
Liberum
arbitrium |
Free will |
Libris
clausis, styllis depositis |
Books closed, pens put down |
Licentia
liquendi |
Liberty of speaking |
Locum
tenens |
One holding a place |
M
Magna
Dii curant, parva neglegunt |
Gods are concerned with important things, trifles
they ignore |
Magnum
malum |
A great evil |
Mea
culpa |
My mistake |
Melius
tarde, quam nunquam |
Better late than never |
Mens
legislatoris |
The intent of the legislator |
Minimis
optime peractis, maxima bene agentur |
After the smallest things have been well completed, the greatest
things will be done well |
Minus
habens |
Absentminded |
Mondificatis
mondificandis |
What was to be modified having been modified |
Mole
sua |
By its own weight |
More
Socratico |
By the Socratic method |
Multum
in parvo |
Much in little |
Multun,
non multa |
Much, not many (quality not quantity) |
Mutatis
mutandis |
What was to be changed having been changed |
N
Natura
nihil fit in frustra |
Nature does nothing in vain |
Ne
quid nimis |
Nothing in excess |
Ne
supra crepidam sutor iudicaret |
Let a cobbler not judge beyond a sandal (Pliny the Elder) |
Nemo
dat quod non habet |
No one gives what he does not have |
Nemo
liber est qui corpori servit |
No one is free who is a slave to his body |
Nemo
malus felix |
No evil man is happy (Juvenal) |
Nihil |
Nothing |
Nil
desperandum |
Never despair |
Non
est ei similis |
There is no one like him |
Non
omnes qui habemt citharam sunt citharoedi |
No one who own harps are harpists |
Non
omnia possumus omnes |
Everyone cannot do everything |
Non
omnis moriar |
I shall not completely die (Horace) |
Norma
loquendi |
The standard of speech |
Novus
ordo seclorum |
A new order of the ages is born (inscription on the
reverse of the great seal of USA) |
Nullius
in verba |
(Rely) on the words on no one (Horace) |
Nullus
est instar domus |
There is no place like home |
O
Omne
initium est difficile |
Every beguinning is difficult |
Omnes
vulnerant, ultima necat |
All (hours) wound, the last kills (inscription on solar
clocks) |
Omne
trium perfectum |
Everything that comes in threes is perfect |
Optimus
magister, bonus liber |
The best teacher is a good book |
Optimus
status rerum |
The best state of things |
P
Pacta
sunt servanda |
Treaties should be respected |
Pars
pro toto |
Part of the whole |
Pax
et bonum! |
Peace and sanvation! |
Peccatum
tacituritatis |
Sin of silence |
Pecunia
in arbotis non crescit |
Money does not grow on trees |
Per
angusta in augusta |
Through difficulties to great things |
Plusque
minusque |
More or less |
Post
tenebras lux |
After the darkness, light |
Praetio
prudentia praestat |
Prudence supplies a reward |
Primum
non nocere |
The first thing is to do no harm (Hippocratic oath) |
Pro
opportunitate |
As circumstances allow |
Pro
tanto |
To a certain extent |
Puris
omnia pura |
To the pure all things are pure |
Q
Quam
terribilis est haec hora |
How fearful is this hour |
Qui
bene cantat, bis orat |
He who sings well, prays twice |
Qui
tacet consentire videtur |
He that is silent is thought to consent |
Qui
vivat atque floreat ad plurimos annos |
May he live and flourish for many years |
Quid
nunc? |
What now? |
Quid
pro quo |
Something for something |
Quieta
non movere |
Not to move (things lying) quiet |
Quis
custodiet ipsos custodes? |
Who shall keep watch over the guardians? |
Quis
separabit? |
Who shall separate us? |
Quo
ad hoc |
As much as this (to this extent) |
Quo
animo? |
With what spirit? (or intent?) |
Quod
erat demonstrandum |
Which was to be shown or demonstrated |
Quod
erat faciendum |
Which was to be done |
R
Repetitio
est mater memoriae/ studiorum/ |
Repetition is the mother of memory/studies |
Res
firma mitescere nescit |
A firm resolve does not know how to weaken |
Res
publica |
The public object (Roman State) |
S
Salvo
pudore |
Decence being observed |
Scito
te ipsum |
Know yourself |
Scribere
est agere |
To write is to act |
Seniores
priores |
Elders first |
Se
vis pacem para bellum |
If you want peace, prepare a war |
Sic
me deus adjuvat |
So help me God |
Sic
passim |
Thus everywhere |
Sic
transit gloria mundi |
Thus passes the glory of the world |
Sine
nobilitatis |
Without nobility (SNOB) |
Sobria
inebrietas |
Sober intoxication |
Sol
omnibus lucet |
The sun shines upon us all (Petronius) |
Spectaculorum
procedere debet |
The show must go on |
Status
quo ante |
The state in which it was before |
Sub
secreto |
In secret |
Sub
silentio |
In silence |
Suggestio
veri, suggestio falsi |
An intimation of truth, an intimation of falcity |
Suo
jure |
In one's rightful place |
Suum
cuique pulchrum est |
To each his own is beautiful (Cicero) |
T
Tabula
rasa |
Clean state |
Tempus
fugit |
Time is fugitive |
Tempus
neminem manet |
Time waits fo no one |
Timor
mortis conturbat me |
The fear of death confounds me |
Tolerabiles
ineptiae |
Bearable absurdities |
Totus
mundus agit historiem |
The whole world plays the actor (is a play) |
U
Ubi
amor, ibi oculus |
Where love is, there is insight |
Ubi
supra |
Where mentioned above |
Ubique |
Everywhere |
Ultima
ratio regum |
The final argument of kings |
Unitas
mirabile vinculum |
The wonderful bond of unity |
Unum
necessarium |
The one necessary |
Urbanus
et instructus |
A gentleman and a scholar |
Urbi
et orbi |
In the city and the World |
Utile
et dulce |
Useful and pleasant |
V
Verba
de futuro |
Words about the future |
Verbum
sapienti |
A word to the wise |
Vere
jus summum, summa malitiae |
Oh, truly the greatest justice is height of injustice |
Vide
et credere |
See and believe |
Vincit
omnia amor |
Love conquers all |
Vincit
omnia veritas |
Truth conquers all |
Vinculum
unitatis |
The bond of unity |
Virtus
in medio stat |
Virtue stands in the middle |
Vis
medicatrix naturae |
The healing power of nature |
Vita
brevis, ars lunga |
Life is short, art is long |
Vita
sine libris mors est |
Life without books is death |
Vivat
rex |
Long live the King |
Vivos
voco, mortuos plango |
I call the living, I mourn the dead (on a church bell) |
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