From Friedrich’s Latin Notebook

Latin to English

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  • A baculo(Latin: by means of the rod [with a big stick]). Has the meaning of using a threat of force instead of logic.
  • A barba stulti discit tonsor. A barba stolidi discunt tondere novelli. A barber learns to shave by shaving fools.
  • A bene placito - At one's pleasure
  • A bonis bona disce. Keep good men’s company and you shall be of their number.
  • A bove majori discit arare minor.(Latin: From the older ox, the younger learns to plow). How can the foal amble, when the horse and mare trot?
  • A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper.A boar is often held by a not so large dog. A small leak will sink a great ship. -Ovid
  • A capite ad calcemFrom head to heel. (Latin: from head to heel; thoroughly). Equivalent to “from top to bottom”.
  • A cappella - In church [style] - i.e. Vocal music only
  • A communi observantia non est recedendum.There should be no departure from common observance or usage.

A coena ne bibe, aut si id admonet sitis, sume humidum aliquid, et frigidiusculum, aut perpusillum tenuis potiunculae. Don't drink right after dinner, or if your thirst nags you, take something moist and a little chilled, or a very small bit of a diluted drink.

  • A contrario - From a contrary position
  • A cruce salus - From the cross comes salvation.(Latin: Salvation comes from the cross). Used in the Roman Catholic Church to mean that salvation comes from a personal commitment to the teachings of Christianity
  • A Deo et Rege(Latin: from God and the King). Some monarchs saw themselves as direct representatives of God on earth, so documents issued by them were often signed a Deo et Rege.
  • A Deo rex, a rege lex Of God the King, of the King the law
  • A die From that day.
  • A dígito cognoscitur leo. Ab unguibus leo. The lion is known by his paw.
  • A fortiori - With yet stronger reason
  • A fonte puro pura defluit aqua.
    Pure water flows from a pure spring. Anon
  • A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi - A precipice in front, wolves behind (Between a rock and a hard place or, To fall out of the fryingpan into the fire.
  • A fructibus cognoscitur arbor.Arbor ex fructu cognoscitur. The tree is known by its fruit.
  • A lege suae dignitatis.From the law of his dignity. This was said by the Saxons to be the source of the king’s power to pardon
  • A magnis proprio vivitur arbitrio. When force comes on the scene, right goes packing.
  • A maximis ad minima (Latin: from the greatest to the least).
  • A muliere initium factum est peccati. From the woman came the beginning of sin.
  • A posse ad esse From possibility to reality.
  • A posteriori From what follows; from effect to cause.
  • A priori From what goes before; from cause to effect.
  • A puro fonte defluit aqua pura. Good fruit of a good tree.
  • A radice sapit pomum, quocumque rotatur. The apple never falls far from the tree.
  • A teneris consuescere multum est.Best to bend while it is a twig.
  • A verbis ad verbera. (Latin: from words to blows). Also translated as, “One thing leads to another.”
  • A verbis legis non est recedendumYou must not vary the words of a statute. From the words of the law there is not any departure
  • A spe in spem(Latin: from hope to hope).
  • Ab absurdo from the absurd (establishing the validity of your argument by pointing out the absurdity of your opponent's position)
  • Ab aeterno from eternity.
  • Ab aeterno ordita sum et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret. I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made.
  • Ab alio expectes, alteri quod feceris. You shall have as good as you bring. Expect (the same treatment from others) that you give to them. Publilius Syrus As you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner.” From the Latin Vulgate, Luke 6:31; which is a Latin version of the Bible produced by Saint Jerome in the 4th century. From Latin vulgata editio, “edition made public, edition for ordinary people” a version used by the Roman Catholic Church.
  • Ab amante lacrimis redimas iracundiam. Tears may buy off a lover's wrath.
  • Ab amico reconciliato cave. Reconciled friend is a double enemy.
  • Ab asino lanam quaerere. Ab asino lanam petere.To fish for strawberries in the bottom of the sea.
  • Ab equo ad asinum. Ab equis ad asinos. Out of God's blessing into the warm sun.
  • Ab esse ad posse “From being to knowing" from the existence of things one can make sure of their possibilities.
  • Ab extra From without.
  • Ab homine homini cottidianum periculum. A man constantly faces up to denger from a man Seneca.
  • Ab imo pectore - From the bottom of the chest (from the heart)
  • Ab incunabilis From the cradle.
  • Ab inimicis possum mihi ipsi cavere, ab amicis vero non. Defend me God from my friends; I can defend myself from my enemies.
  • Ab initio From the beginning.
  • Ab intra from within
  • Ab inope nunquam spectes. You can't make bricks without straw.
  • Ab Iove principium Let's start with the most important
  • Ab iratoliterally, “from an angry man”; unfair, unprovoked. Any action taken ab irato is to be understood as arising from anger rather than reason, and responses to such actions should be weighed carefully by reasonable people.
  • Ab origine From the origin or commencement.
  • Ab ovo From the egg; from the very beginning.
  • Ab ovo usque ad mala (lit., from the egg to the apples, a term borrowed from Roman banquets, which began with eggs and ended with fruit), From beginning to end; from first to last.

Ab studiis arrogantia omnis arcenda est. Nam ea quae vel doctissimus mortalium novit, non sunt minutissimum eorum quae ignorat. Exiguum quiddam, et obscurum, et incertum est quicquid homines sciunt, mentesque nostrae in hoc corporeo carcere devinctae, magna ignoratione, et altissimis tenebris premuntur: aciemque adeo retusam habemus, ut nec summas penetremus rerum facies.All arrogance should be kept out of intellectual pursuits. For the things that even the most learned of mortals understands do not amount to the slightest fraction of what that person fails to know. Whatever people know is something slender and unclear and unsure, and our minds, shackled in this bodily prison, are hemmed in by extensive ignorance and the darkest shadows: We have so blunt a vision that we don't even scratch the surface of reality.

  • Ab uno disce omnes(From one example judge of the rest), From a single instance infer the whole.
  • Ab urbe condita From the building of the city, i.e., Rome.
  • Ad utrumque paratus.(Latin: ready for either [eventuality]). A mature person is ready to cope with any eventuality, including the final one; in other words: “Prepared for the worst.”
  • Abbati, medico, patronoque intima pande. Hide nothing from thy minister, physician, and lawyer.
  • Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit - He has left, absconded, escaped and disappeared

Ablues subinde manus et faciem frigida, detergesque mundo linteolo. Wash your hands and face with cold water regularly, and wipe them off with a clean towel.

  • Abite, molesti!Go away, pests!
  • Absens haeres non erit (The absent one will not be the heir; The absent party is still faulty.) Out of sight, out of mind.
  • Absente domino res male geritur. Matters prosper under the master's eye.
  • Absentem laedit, cum ebrio qui litigat. He who quarrels with a drunk hurts an absentee Publilius Syrus
  • Absentia ejus qui reipublicae causa abest, neque ei, neque alii damnosa esse debet.The absence of him who is employed in the service of the state, ought not to be burdensome to him nor to others
  • Absit invidia.(Latin: Let there be no ill will). Used as a formal apology, “Let there be no bad feelings.” or “No offense intended.”
  • Absit omen May this not be an omen (asks for protection against evil)
  • Absit violentia rebus Without violent interference; Without tyranny. Comenius
  • Absoluta sententia expositore non indigetWhen you have plain words capable of only one interpretation, no explanation of them is required.
  • Absolvo.(Latin: I acquit). A judge acquitting a person after a trial may say, “Absolvo!” It’s also a term employed by a jury when voting for the acquittal of the accused. It was used in the Roman courts but not in the Roman Assemblies.
  • Absque argento omnia vana. Penniless souls may pine in purgatory.
  • Abundans cautela non nocetThere is no harm done by great caution.Thatch your roof before the rain begins.
  • Abusus non tollit usum - Wrong use does not preclude proper use
  • Abyssus abyssum invocat - Hell calls hell; one misstep leads to another. Misfortunes never come singly.
  • Accepto damno ianuam claudere. Accepto damno claudenda est ianua. It is too late to shut the stable-door after the horse has bolted.
  • Accessit(Latin: coming close; or honorable mention). A reference to a runner-up in an academic competition or for a medal or other honor.
  • Accessorius sequit naturam sui principalis.An accessary follows the nature of his principal.
  • Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale.The accessory does not lead, but follow its principal.
  • Accidere ex una scintilla incendia passim. A little fire burs up a great deal of corn.
  • Accipe quam primus: brevis est occasio lucri.Access as fast as possible:
    the opportunity is offered only briefly to make profit Martialis
  • Accipe quod tuum alterique da suum. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's.
  • Accipe! Sume! Cape! sunt verba placentia cuique.
    Accept! Use! Take! are words pleasing to everyone. Werner
  • Accipere humanum est, inopi donare deorum Accepting presents is human, giving to needy is Godly.
  • Accipere quam facere praestat injuriam - It is better to suffer an injustice than to do an injustice.
  • Accipias paleam, si non vult solvere nequam. From a bad paymaster, get what you can.
  • Accipite disciplinam meam et non pecuniam doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite. Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
  • Accusare nemo se debet;accusare nemo se debet nisi coram DeoNo one is bound to accuse himself except to God.
  • Acerba sunt bella fratrum. The greatest hate springs from the greatest love.
  • Acheruntis pabulum food of Acheron
  • Acta est fabula, plaudite! - The play is over, applaud. Drama has been acted out. These words announced the end of a performance in a Roman theatre.; emperor August said these words at his deathbed.
  • Acta exteriora indicant interiora secretaExternal actions show internal secrets, i.e., intention may be inferred from a person's actions.
  • Acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt.
    Mortal acts never deceive the gods. Ovid
  • Actio exteriora indicant interiora secreta.External actions show internal secrets.
  • Actio non datur non damnificato.An action is not given to him who has received no damages.
  • Actio personalis moritur cum persona.A personal action dies with the person.
  • Actio recta non erit, nisi recta fuerit voluntas.It will not be a proper act unless the wish has been proper. Seneca
  • Actor qui contra regulam quid adduxit, non est audiendus. He ought not to be heard who advances a proposition contrary to the rules of law.
  • Actor sequitur forum rei.The plaintiff must follow the forum of the thing in dispute.
  • Actore non probante reus absolvitur.When the plaintiff does not prove his case, the defendant is absolved
  • Actus curiae neminem gravabitAn act of the Court shall prejudice no one.
  • Actus Dei nemini facit injuriam.The act of God does no injury; that is, no one is responsible for inevitable accidents.
  • Actus incaeptus cujus perfectio pendet, ex voluntate partium, revocari potest; si autem pendet ex voluntate tertia personae, vel ex contingenti, revocari non potest.An act already begun, the completion of which depends upon the will of the parties, may be recalled; but if it depend on the consent of a third person, or of a contingency, it cannot be recalled.
  • Actus legis nemini facit injuriam,The act of the law does no one an injury.
  • Actus legitimi non recipiunt modum.Acts required by law to be done, admit of no qualification
  • Actus me invito factus, non est meus factus. An act done by me against my will is no my act
  • Actus non facit reum, nisi mens sit rea. An act does not render one guilty, unless mind is guilty. At common law crime has two essential elements: an act and an evil intention.
  • Actus servi in iis quibus opera ejus communiter adhibita est, actus domini habetur.The act of servant, in the sort of work in which he is generally employed, is that of the master.
  • Actutum fortunae solent mutarier; varia vita est. Man's fortune is usually changed at once; life is changeable.
  • Acum in meta faeni quaerere. To seek a needle in a pile of hay.
  • Ad arbitrium At will, at pleasure.
  • Ad augusta per angusta to honors through narrow spaces
  • Ad calamitatem quilibet rumor valet. To accredit disaster any tale has power.
  • Ad calendas graecas At the Greek calends, i.e., never. (The Greeks had no calends.)
  • Ad captandum vulgus To please the common people. To please or to win the favor of the masses/crowd. The implication is that such actions may not be in the best interest of society, but are intended only to achieve popularity or political goals; such as, winning elective office, publicizing movies, novels, sports, TV programs, or any promotion that wants the masses to be involved for their support.
  • Ad commodum suum quisquis callidus est. Every one to his taste, as the old woman said when she kissed her cow.
  • Ad consilium ne accesseris, antequam voceris. Give neither counsel nor salt till you are asked for.
  • Ad cuius veniat scit cattus lingere barbam. The cat knows whose beard she licks.
  • Ad eundem gradum to the same degree Sometimes abbreviated ad eundem, this phrase may be used to place blame or praise among parties to a deed. The fuller version has a special use when applied to academic life. Considering gradum as an academic rank, under special circumstances a person holding a Master of Arts degree from one institution may be awarded the same degree by another institution without examination or even matriculation; such a degree being termed “M.A. ad eundem gradum”.
  • Ad extremum To the extreme; at last.
  • Ad finem saeculorum To the end of time.
  • Ad fontes redeunt longo post tempore lymphae. A thousand years hence the river will run as it did.
  • Ad fores fortuna venit, cui propitia est. Good things come to some, when they are asleep.
  • Ad gloriam for glory
  • Ad gustum To one's taste.
  • Ad hoc for this purpose
  • Ad hominem - Appealing to a person's physical and emotional urges, rather than her or his intellect
  • Ad impossibilia nemo tenetur No one can be forced to do what is impossible
  • Ad infinitum Forever, without limit, to infinity.
  • Ad intellegenda verba prudentiae et suscipiendam eruditionem doctrinae iustitiam et iudicium et aequitatem To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:
  • Ad internecionem To extermination.
  • Ad libitum; ad lib.(Latin:, at pleasure; according to one’s pleasure; freely, unscripted, improvised; extemporaneously).
  • Ad limina apostolorum(Latin: to the thresholds of the Apostles; to the highest authority). The expression applies to matters appropriate for papal consideration and disposition before the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul. It is often abbreviated ad limina and is used in non-church situations to mean that a dispute must be settled by a higher authority.
  • Ad litteram To the letter
  • Ad maiorem Dei gloriam For the greater glory of God.
  • Ad mala facta malus socius socium trahit. Ill company brings many a man to the gallows.
  • Ad mensuram aquam bibit, citra mensuram panem comedit. Penny wise, pound foolish.
  • Ad modum In the manner of.
  • Ad multos annos For many years.
  • Ad nauseam So as to disgust or nauseate.
  • Ad nocendum potentes sumus. We have the power to harm.Seneca
  • Ad omnia paratus Prepared for all things!
  • Ad paenitendum properat cito qui iudicat. Hasty judgment means speedy repentance. He that soon deems, soon shall repent.
  • Ad partus ovium noscuntur pondera ventrum. Do not triumph before the victory.
  • Ad patres Gathered to his fathers; dead.
  • Ad populumTo the people).Ad populum is intended for the ears of all the people, not just a limited or special few.
  • Ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora - Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow. Like the English proverb: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” It is considered more important to hold on to what one has than to risk everything in speculation.
  • Ad proximum antecedens fiat relatio, nisi impediatur sententia. The antecedent bears relation to what follows next, unless it destroys the meaning of the sentence.
  • Ad terrae morem vitae decet esse tenorem. When you go through the country of the one-eyed, be one-eyed.
  • Ad tristem partem strenua est suspicio. Suspicion is ever active on the gloomy side.
  • Ad quem To whom
  • Ad quaestionem legis respondent judices.The judges answer the question of law.
  • Ad quaestiones facti non respondent judices; Ad quaestiones legis non respondent juratores.Judges do not answer questions of facts; jurors do not answer questions of law.
  • Ad quaestiones juris respondent judices; ad quaestiones facti respondent juratores.Judges answer questions of law; jurors answer questions of facts.
  • Ad quod damnum(Latin: to what damage). A legal phrase used for assessing damages relating to privately owned land that is taken for public use. The name of a writ formerly issuing from the English chancery, commanding the sheriff to make an inquiry “to what damage” a specified act, if done, will tend. This writ is of ancient origin, and could be issued as a writ of right when a landowner was dissatisfied with the assessment of damages as a result of a condemnation commission.
  • Ad referendum(Latin: for further consideration). Literally, “for referring” is a diplomats’ term. Diplomats who accept a proposal for their governments ad referendum indicate by their actions that final acceptance is dependent on the approval of the diplomats’ governments. Referendum has come over directly into English with the meaning of “a vote by all qualified voters on a matter of public concern.”
  • Ad rem gerendam autem qui accedit, caveat, ne id modo consideret, quam illa res honesta sit, sed etiam, ut habeat efficiendi facultatem. Put your priority in right order. Before taking on any task think firstly about own ability to accomplish this job and secondly think about glory you may receive. Cicero
  • Ad restim mihi quidem res rediit planissume. Nothing indeed remains for me but that I should hang myself.
  • Ad sciendam sapientiam et disciplinam To know wisdom, and instruction:
  • Ad summum To the highest point or amount.
  • Ad unguem To a nicety; exactly.
  • Ad unum omnes To a man.
  • Ad usum Delphini for the Dauphin's use (expurgated)
  • Ad utrumque paratus Prepared for either event or case. Rready for either [eventuality]). A mature person is ready to cope with any eventuality, including the final one; in other words: “Prepared for the worst.”
  • Ad verbum To the word
  • Ad vitam(Latin: for life). A legal term found in some wills, meaning, “for use only during a person’s life.”
  • Ad vitam aeternam For eternal life
  • Ad vitam aut culpam For life or until a misdeed
  • Ad vocem populi To voice of people.Vox populi, vox Dei.(Latin: The voice of the people is the voice of God). This doesn’t mean that the voice of the people is wise or from God, but only that the voice of the people is irresistible and can’t be ignored.
  • Adamante durior Heartless as an iron.
  • Adde parvum parvo manus acervus erit.