Phrases A-Z Flashcards
a fortiori
with stronger reason
a maximis ad minima
from the greatest to the least
a priori
from what comes before
a tergo
from behind
ab asino lanam
wool from an ass
ab imo pectore
from the bottom of the chest/ heart
ab initio
from the beginning
ab origine
from the beginning
ab ovo
from the egg (from the very beginning)
ab ovo usque ad mala
from the egg to the apple (beginning to end)
Ab uno disce omnes
from this one example learn all the rest
absit invidia
let there be no ill will
Absit omen
let there be no evil omen here
ab absurdam
to absurdity
ad augusta per angusta
to glory through narrow spaces
ad finem
to the end
ad gloriam
to the end
ad hoc
for this purpose
ad hominem
to the man (his character, not his deeds)
ad infinitum
indefinitely, without end
ad interim
in the meantime
ad Kalendas Graecas
to the Greek Kalends (which didn’t exist so never)
Ad maiorem dei gloriam
to the greater glory of God
ad nauseam
to the point of disgust or boredom
ad patres
to the fathers (dead)
ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora
eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow
ad utrumque paratus
prepared for either outcome
ad vitam aut culpam
for life or until misdeed
aequo animo
with a calm mind
aere perennius
more lasting then bronze
aeternum vale
farewell forever
Agenda
things to be done/accomplished
Agnus dei
the lamb of god
alieni generis
of a different kind
alma mater
nourishing mother (college)
alter ego
a second self
alumnus/alumna
a foster child
Amicus Curiae
a friend of the court
amor nummi
love of money
anguis in herba
a snake in the grass, a traitor
annus mirabilis
a remarkable year
ante bellum
before the war
ante partum
before childbirth
Apage Satanas
get thee behind me, Satan
aqua et igni interdictus
forbidden water and fire (banished)
aqua vitae
water of life (alchohol)
arbiter bibendi
master of drinking (me for sure for sure)
arbiter elegentiae
the master of taste
arrectis auribus
with ears pricked up
ars amandi
the art of loving
ars artis gratia
arts for arts sake
ars artium
the arts of arts (logic)
ars longa, vita brevis
art is long, life is short - Hippocrates
asinus asinum fricat
the ass rubs the ass
audaces fortuna iuvat
fortune favors the bold
Aurea mediocritas
the golden mean
aurora australis
the southern dawn
aurora borealis
the northern dawn
aut Caesar aut nullus
either a Caeser or nobody
aut disce aut discede
either learn or leave
aut viam inveniam aut faciam
I will either find a way or make one (based)
bis vivit qui bene vivit
he lives twice who lives well
bona fide
in good faith
bonis avibus
under good birds (omens)
carpe diem
seize the day
Casus belli
the occasion for war
causa sine qua non
a cause without which not (necessary)
cave canem
beware of the dog
cave quid dicis, quando, et cui
beware what you say, when, and to whom
caveat emptor
let the buyer beware
ceteris paribus
other things being equal
Circa
about
compos mentis
of a sound mind
Consilio et armis
by council and by arms
Coram populi
in public
Cornucopia
horn of plenty
corpus delecti
the body of a crime
cui bono
for whose benefit
cuius regio eius religio
whose the region, his the religion
cum grano salis
with a grain of salt
cum laude
with praise
currente calamo
with the pen running on
curriculum vitae
the course of one’s life
custos morum
the guardian of morals
damnant quod non intellegunt
they condemn what they do not understand
de facto
from the fact
de gustibus non est disputandum
tastes ought not to be disputed
de iure
according to the law
de mortuis nil nisi bonum
speak only good of the dead
de novo
anew, afresh
de pilo pendet
it hangs by the hair
de profundis
out of the depths
dei gratia
by the grace of god
deo favente
with gods favor
deo gratias
thanks to god
deus ex machine
a sudden resolution through divine interpretation/god from the machine
dies Faustus
a day bringing good fortune
dies infaustus
a day bringing bad fortune
