A Phrases Flashcards
ab absurdo
ahb ahb-SUUR-doh
“from the absurd”
seek to establish validity of position by pointing out absurdity in opponent’s view
ab aeterno
ahb aye-TEHR-noh
“since the beginning of time”
literally from eternity; no assignable date of origin
Ex: Wars have been fought ab aeterno.
ab asino lanam
ahb AH-sih-noh LAH-nahm
“blood from a stone”
literally wool from an ass; action which is doomed to fail
Ex: An attempt to get ab asino lanam will inevitably fail.
ab extra
ahb EHK-strah
“from the outside”
Ex: “We are mistaken to believe that peace will come in the Middle East through the efforts ab extra of world powers.”
ab imo pectore
ahb EE-moh PEH-ktaw-reh
“from the heart”
literally from the bottom of the breast; sincerely
ab incunabulis
ahb ihn-koo-NAH-buu-lees
“from infancy”
Note: Latin word incunabula literally means “cradle, swaddling clothes, infancy or origin”; English word incunabula refers to earliest stage or beginning of anything, but most often to copies of books before AD 1500 (before movable type in formative stage)
ab initio
ahb ih-NIH-tee-oh
“from the beginning”
from the start/inception
Ex: Lack of adequate capital doomed the company to failure ab initio.
ab intra
ahb IHN-trah
“from within”
Ex: The only hope for reform of an institution is through effort expended ab intra.
ab irato
ahb ih-RAH-toh
“unfair, unprovoked”
literally from an anrgy man; from a place of anger rather than reason
Ex: “Orders to fire subordinates were given ab irato, and therefore were not carried out until the President had a chance to reconsider.”
ab origine
ahb aw-RIH-gih-neh
“from the first”
literally from the very beginning, source, or origin
Ex: “Scholars who are interested in gaining full understanding of an institution, for example, find it valuable to pursue ab origine studies in the hope that knowledge of its beginnings will shed light on its present.”
Note: English word “aborigine” (preferred form “aboriginal”) comes from this phrase and means “orginal inhabitant of a place”
ab ovo
ahb OH-woh
“from the very beginning”
literally from the egg; thorough; however, may imply tedious thoroughness
Ex: “A complete presentation is one made ab ovo.”
Ex: “Once again we were subjected to a sententious ab ovo account that lasted more than an hour and lulled most of us to sleep.”
ab ovo usque ad mala
ahb OH-woh UUS-kweh ahd MAH-lah
“from start to finish”
literally from the egg to the apples; reminiscent of English phrase “from soup to nuts” but with distinct meaning - latter refers to completeness (like multicourse meal or Sears catalogue); derives from fact that Roman dinners started with eggs and ended with fruit
Ex: “Your plan was inadequate ab ovo usque ad mala and had no chance for success.”
absit invidia
AHB-siht ihn-WIH-dee-ah
“no offense intended”
literally let ill will be absent; reflects power Romans attributed to animosity, openly expressed or no, as even ill feelings could cause great harm; the phrase is then used to absolve themselves of the intention to harm
Note: *absit invidia verbo *(WEHR-boh) means “may it be said without giving offense”
absit omen
AHB-siht OH-men
“may this not be an omen”
literally may the omen be absent; used to invoke divine protection against evil when a forboding event occured; Romans had strong belief in divination and used soothsayers, including auspex (OW-speks, individuals who relied on bird observation, origin of “auspices” or “auspicious”) and haruspex (HAH-ruu-speks, individuals who relied on examination of scrificed animal entrails, lightning/natural phenomenon)
absolvo
ahb-SAWL-woh
“I acquit”
could be used by judge absolving a person; also ironic use noted (e.g. partner tries to end domestic squibble by using it to try to end the argument)
ab uno disce omnes
ahb OO-noh DIS-keh AWM-nays
“from one example learn about all”
literally from one learn all; found in Virgil’s Aeneid
Ex: “Careless application of ab uno disce omnes may trap us into faulty generalization.”
ab urbe condita (A.U.C.)
ahb UUR-beh KAWN-dih-tah
“since the founding of the city”
refers to Rome, as Romans dated years from founding of their city (753 B.C.)
Note: anno urbis conditae can be used as alternative and is also abbreviated A.U.C., means in the year of the founding of the city
abusus non tollit usum
ahb-OO-suus nohn TAWL-lit OO-suum
“misuse does not nullify proper use”
value of procedure, object, etc. is not nullified by improper use
Note: *ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia *(ahb ahb-OO-soo ahd OO-suum nohn WAH-let KAWN-seh-KWEN-tee-ah), or “the consequences of abuse do not apply to general use”, is used to mean that a right should not be withheld because some abuse it
a capite ad calcem
ah KAH-pih-teh ahd KAHL-kehm
“thoroughly”
literally from head to heel; equivalent of “from top to bottom” or “from stem to stern”
Ex: “The candidate, claming that the entire municipal government was rotten, promised a reorganization a capite ad calcem.”
accessit
ahk-KEH-siht
“honorable mention”
literally he/she came near; in academic settings (particularly European), it is the recogition awarded to runner-up for medal or honor and is pronounced ak-SES-it
Acheruntis pabulum
AH-keh-RUUN-tihs PAH-boo-luum
“food for the gallows”
literally “food of Acheron”; Acheron (Romans called it Acheruns - AH-keh-ruuns) was one of the seven rivers purported to flow around hell; typically applied to only those deserving to die
Ex: “The serial killer, responsible for the death of so many, was Acheruntis pabulum.”
a cruce salus
ah KROO-keh SAH-luus
“salvation (comes) from the cross”
the teaching that salvation comes from belief in Christianity
acta est fabula
AHK-tah ehst FAH-buu-lah
“it’s all over”
literally the drama has been acted out; used to signify end of performance in classical theater in lieu of curtain
Note: Rumored to have been said by Augutus just before death, a pattern followed by Rabelais, whose last words were La farce est jouee - “The farce has ended”
acta sanctorum
AHK-tah sahn-KTOH-ruum
“deeds of the saints”
refers to collection of same name initiated by the Bollandists (group named for Jean Bolland, a 17th century Flemish Jesuit) that contains accounts of the lives of Christian martyrs and saints
ad arbitrium
ahd ahr-BIH-tree-uum
“at pleasure”
anything done of one’s own will
Ex: In this life, how many actions are really taken ad arbitrium?
Note: Similar expression is arbitrio suo (ahr-BIH-tree-oh SOO-oh, meaning “on his/her own authority”
ad astra per aspera
ahd AH-strah per AH-speh-rah
“to the stars through difficulties”
great things only can be achieved by encountering and overcoming adversity
Note: motto of Kansas
ad augusta per angusta
ahd ow-GUU-stah per ahn-GUU-stah
“to honors through difficulties”
Augusta refers to holy places, while angusta refers to narrow spaces, thus literally “to holy places through narrow spaces”; great results can’t be achieved without suffering
ad calendas graecas
ahd kah-LEN-dahs GR-eye-kahs
“never”
literally at the Greek calends; calends, the first day of the month, was a feature of the Roman calendar, and the Greeks had no calends; similar to “when hell freezes over”
Note: calends was the day that interest on loans was due, so the calends for Roman debtors were triste calendae (TRIH-stays kah-LEN-daye, or “the unhappy calends”)
ad captandum vulgus
ahd kah-PTAHN-duum WUUL-guus
“in order to win over the masses”
refers to actions intended to please the common people, often with the implication that these may not be in the interest of society, but done only for popularity
Ex: Politicians are wont to promise reforms ad captandum vulgus and never give thought to accomplishing them.
ad clerum
ahd KLEH-ruum
“to the clergy”
refers to statement made by church leader that is meant to be heard only by the clergy, as opposed to a statement ad populum (ahd PAW-puu-luum, “to the people”)
a Deo et Rege
ah DEH-oh et REH-geh
“from God and the King”
documents issued by divine monarchs, who saw themselves as representatives of God on earth, were often signed with this phrase
Adeste Fideles
ahd-EH-steh fih-DAY-lays
“O come, all ye faithful”
refers to Christmas hymn which was written in Latin, with date and author uncertain
ad eundem gradum
ah eh-UUN-dem GRAH-duum
“to the same degree”
often abbreviated ad eundem; used to apportion blame/praise justly among parties to a deed
Ex: “The judge held both litigants accountable ad eundem.”
In academics, *gradum *can be construed as academic rank, and a student, for example, holding a M.A. from one university may receive the same degree from another without examination, this degree being termed “M.A. ad eundem gradum”
ad gloriam
ahd GLAW-ree-ahm
“for glory”
