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Latin |
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Meaning/Translation |
| ab imo pectore |
|
from the bottom of the chest (from the heart)
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| ab absurdo |
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from the absurd (establishing the validity of your argument
by pointing out the absurdity of your opponent's position) |
| absit omen |
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may the omen be absent (may this not be an omen) |
| abusus non tollit usum |
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misuse does not nullify proper use |
| abyssus abyssum invocat |
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hell calls hell (one mistep leads to another) |
| acta est fabula |
|
the drama has been acted out. Usually in the context of a
life or event coming to an unhappy end |
| ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora |
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eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow (a bird in the
hand is worth two in the bush) |
| adversus solem ne loquitor |
|
don't speak against the sun (don't waste your time arguing
the obvious) |
| aegrescit medendo |
|
the disease worsens with the treatment (the remedy is worse
than the disease) |
| aeternum vale |
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farewell forever |
| a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi |
|
a precipice in front, wolves behind (between a rock and a
hard place) |
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| alea iacta est |
|
the die is cast. Julius Caesar uttered this when making the
decision to cross the Rubicon in 49 B.C. Used when a bold and
irretrievable decision has been made. |
| altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi |
|
the deepest rivers flow with the least sound (still waters
run deep) |
| amare et sapere vix deo conceditur |
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even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time |
| amantes sunt amentes |
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lovers are lunatics |
| amantium irae amoris integratio est |
|
lovers quarrels are the renewal of love |
| amicus humani generis |
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a friend of the human race (philanthropist) |
| amor vincit omnia |
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love conquers all |
| animis opibusque parati |
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prepared in minds and resources (ready for anything) |
| argumentum ad hominem |
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an argument against the man. Directing an argument against an
opponent's character rather than the subject at hand. |
| ars longa, vita brevis |
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art is long, but life is short. |
| asinus asinum fricat |
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the ass rubs the ass (used to describe two people lavishing
excessive praise on one another) |
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| audaces fortuna iuvat |
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fortune favours the bold |
| aut disce aut discede |
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either learn or leave |
| aut viam inveniam aut faciam |
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I'll either find a way or make one |
| aut vincere aut mori |
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either to conquer or to die |
| ave, Caesar, morituri te salutamus |
|
hail, Caesar, we who are about to die salute you |
| beati possidentes |
|
blessed are those who possess (possession is nine points of
the law) |
| beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere |
|
to accept a favour is to sell one's freedom |
| bonum vinum laetificat cor hominis |
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good wine gladdens a person's heart |
| carpe diem |
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seize the day |
| caveat emptor |
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let the buyer beware |
| cave canem |
|
beware of the dog |
| cave quid dicis, quando, et cui |
|
beware what you say, when, and to whom |
| cogito ergo sum |
|
I think, therefore I exist |
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Cras amet qui nunquam amavit;
Quique amavit, cras amet |
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May he love tomorrow who has never loved before;
And may he who has loved, love tomorrow as well |
| cum grano salis |
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with a grain of salt |
| curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent |
|
slight griefs talk, great ones are speechless (minor losses
can be talked away, profound ones strike us dumb) |
| de duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum |
|
of two evils, the lesser is always to be chosen (choose the
lesser of two evils) |
| de minimis non curat praetor |
|
a praetor does not occupy himself with petty matters (don't
bother me with petty matters) |
| diem perdidi |
|
I have lost a day (another day wasted) |
| dixi |
|
I have spoken (I will say no more on the matter, and no one
else may speak further) |
| docendo discimus |
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teach in order to learn (we learn by teaching) |
| donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos |
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as long as you are fortunate, you will have many friends
(when you are successful, everyone wants to be your friend) |
| dura lex sed lex |
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the law is hard, but it is the law |
| errare humanum est |
|
to err is human |
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| exegi monumentum aere perennius |
|
I have raised a monument more durable than bronze (from
Horace's Odes) |
| exitus acta probat |
|
the result validates the deeds. Avers that any means, no
matter how foul may be used if the intended result is good. A dangerous
idea. |
| fabas indulcet fames |
|
hunger sweetens the beans. Beans being a poor man's fare
implied that hunger makes everything taste good |
| facta non verba |
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deeds, not words (Actions speak louder than words) |
| fortes fortuna iuvat |
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fortune favours the brave |
| fortiter in re, suaviter in modo |
|
resolutely in action, gently in manner. To do unhesitatingly
what must be done but accomplishing it as inoffensively as possible. |
| in pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello |
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in peace, like a wise man, he appropriately prepares for war |
| mendacem memorem esse oportet |
|
it is fitting that a liar should be a man of good memory
(liars should have good memories) |
| mens sana in corpore sano |
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a sound mind in a sound body |
| nemo liber est qui corpori servit |
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no one is free who is a slave to his body |
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| nemo me impune lacessit |
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no one provokes me with impunity. (motto of the kings of
Scotland) |
| non est vivere sed valere vita est |
|
life is not being alive but being well (life is more than
just being alive) |
| non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis |
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not for you, not for me, but for us |
| non semper erit aestas |
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it will not always be summer (be prepared for hard times) |
| non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum |
|
do not take as gold everything that shines like gold |
| nulli secundus |
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second to none |
| omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis |
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all things change, and we change with them |
| parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus |
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mountains will be in labour, and an absurd mouse will be born
(all that work and nothing to show for it) |
| parva leves capiunt animas |
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small things occupy light minds (small things amuse small
minds) |
| pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes |
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flatterers are the worst type of enemies |
| possunt quia posse videntur |
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they can because they seem to be able to (they can do it
because they think they can do it - the power of positive thinking) |
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| potius mori quam foedari |
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rather to die than to be dishonoured (death before dishonour) |
| praemonitus pramunitus |
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forewarned, forearmed |
| proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris |
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it is human nature to hate a person whom you have injured |
| quem di diligunt, adolescens moritur |
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whom the gods love die young (only the good die young) |
| quid novi? |
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what's new? |
| qui scribit bis legit |
|
he who writes reads twice Something to keep in mind when
developing Web pages |
| radix omnium malorum est cupiditas |
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the love of money is the root of all evil. Avarice is the
problem, money itself is not evil. |
| respice, adspice, prospice |
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examine the past, examine the present, examine the future
(look to the past, the present, the future) |
| respondeat superior |
|
let the superior answer (a supervisor must take
responsibility for the quality of a subordinate's work) |
| sapiens nihil affirmat quod non probat |
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a wise man states as true nothing he does not prove (don't
swear to anything you don't know firsthand) |
| semper fidelis |
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always faithful (Motto of the United States Marine Corps) |
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| semper paratus |
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always ready (Motto of the United States Coast Guard) |
| si fecisti nega! |
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if you did it, deny it (stonewall!) |
| si finis bonus est, totum bonum erit |
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if the end is good, everything will be good (all's well that
ends well) |
| si post fata venit gloria non propero |
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if glory comes after death, I'm not in a hurry (if one must
die to be recognised, I can wait) |
| stultorum calami carbones moenia chartae |
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chalk is the pen of fools, walls (their) paper No Graffiti
please. Showing that graffiti is nothing new. |
| sumptus censum ne superet |
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let not your spending exceed your income (live within your
means) |
| tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito |
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Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against
them |
| una salus victis nullam sperare salutem |
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the one safety for the vanquished is to abandon hope of safety
knowing there is no hope can give one the courage to fight and win |
| vade in pace |
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Go in peace (Roman way of saying goodbye) |
| veni vidi vici |
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I came, I saw, I conquered Julius Caesar's report of victory
in 47 B.C. over Pharnaces, king of Pontus |
| veritas vos liberabit |
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the truth shall make you free |
| victis honor |
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honour to the vanquished |
| vincit qui se vincit |
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he conquers who conquers himself Advice for anyone
contemplating a diet or kicking a habit. |
| vir sapit qui pauca loquitur |
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that man is wise who talks little (know when to hold your
tongue) |
| vita non est vivere sed valere vita est |
