A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration.
An archaic legal term for one who commits suicide, referring to early English common law punishments, such as land seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves.
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
"as a rule, men willingly believe that which they wish to"
People believe what they wish to be true, even if it isn't. Attributed to Julius Caesar.
An oxymoronic motto of Augustus. It encourages proceeding quickly, but with calm and caution. Equivalent to 'More haste, less speed'. Motto of The Madeira School, McLean, Virginia.
First words of a famous academic anthem used, among other places, in The Student Prince.
gaudium in veritate
"joy in truth"
generalia specialibus non derogant
"universal things do not detract from specific things"
A principle of legal statutory interpretation: If a matter falls under a specific provision and a general provision, it shall be governed by the specific provision.
The unique, distinctive aspects or atmosphere of a place, such as those celebrated in art, stories, folk tales, and festivals. Originally, the genius loci was literally the protective spirit of a place, a creature usually depicted as a snake.
Often translated "Glory to God on High". The title and beginning of an ancient Roman Catholicdoxology, the Greater Doxology. See also ad maiorem Dei gloriam.
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum ("you may have the body to bring up"). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal right to challenge the legality of their detention.
Roman parents would tell their misbehaving children this, invoking their fear of Hannibal.
haud ignota loquor
"I speak not of unknown things"
Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil's Aeneid, 2.91.
hic abundant leones
"here lions abound"
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hic et nunc
"here and now"
hic jacet (HJ)
"here lies"
Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding the name of the deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus ("here is buried"), and sometimes combined into hic jacet sepultus (HJS), "here lies buried".
hic manebimus optime
"here we'll stay excellently"
According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus Furius Camillus, addressing the senators who intended to abandon the city, invaded by Gauls, in 390 BCE circa. It is used today to express the intent to keep one's position even if the circumstances appear adverse.
From Terence, Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the tears shed by Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used proverbally in the works of later authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
historia vitae magistra
"history, the teacher of life"
From Cicero, Tusculanas, 2, 16. Also "history is the mistress of life".
hoc age
"do this"
Motto of Bradford Grammar School, often purposefully mistranslated by pupils as "Just do it!".
hoc est bellum
"This is war"
hoc est Christum cognoscere, beneficia eius cognoscere
"To know Christ is to know his benefits"
Famous dictum by the Reformer Melanchthon in his Loci Communes of 1521
Hoc Est Enim Corpus Meum
"This is my Body"
The words of Jesus reiterated in Latin during the Roman Catholic Eucharist. May be the source of the expression "hocus-pocus".
First attested in Plautus' Asinaria ("lupus est homo homini"). The sentence was drawn on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise expression of his human nature view.
In Latin, urinare (later urinari) does not mean "to urinate" but "to plunge underwater".
homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto
"I am a human being; nothing human is strange to me"
From Terence, Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told to mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different cultures and being humane in general. Puto ("I consider") is not translated because it is meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.
"That is (to say)", "in other words", or sometimes "in this case", depending on the context. Never equivalent to exempli gratia (e.g.), although frequently so used. Id est, i.e., "that is", is commonly abbreviated "i.e."; in this usage it is sometimes followed by a comma, depending on style.
In the Roman calendar, the Ides of March refers to the 15th day of March. In modern times, the term is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, the story of which was famously retold in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.[1] The term has come to be used as a metaphor for impending doom.
Direct quote from the Vulgate, John 19:19. The inscription was written in Latin, Greek and Aramaic at the top of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. (John 19:20)
The logical fallacy of irrelevant conclusion: making an argument that, while possibly valid, doesn't prove or support the proposition it claims to. An ignoratio elenchi that is an intentional attempt to mislead or confuse the opposing party is known as a red herring. Elenchi is from the Greek elenchos.
ignotum per ignotius
"unknown by means of the more unknown"
An explanation that is less clear than the thing to be explained. Synonymous with obscurum per obscurius.
A principle, held by several religions, that believers should strive to resemble their god(s).
imperium in imperio
"an order within an order"
1. A group of people who owe utmost fealty to their leader(s), subordinating the interests of the larger group to the authority of the internal group's leader(s). 2. A "fifth column" organization operating against the organization within which they seemingly reside.
imperium sine fine
"an empire without an end"
In Virgil's Aeneid, Jupiter ordered Aeneas to found a city (Rome) from which would come an everlasting, neverending empire, the endless (sine fine) empire.
Figuratively, "in secret". See also camera obscura.
in casu
"in the event"
"In this case".
in cauda venenum
"the poison is in the tail"
Using the metaphor of a scorpion, this can be said of an account that proceeds gently, but turns vicious towards the end ? or more generally waits till the end to reveal an intention or statement that is undesirable in the listener's eyes.
incertae sedis
"of uncertain position (seat)"
A term used to classify a taxonomic group when its broader relationships are unknown or undefined.
Motto of Austria-Hungary prior to its separation into independent states in 1918.
in dubio pro reo
"in doubt, on behalf of the [alleged] culprit"
Expresses the judicial principle that in case of doubt the decision must be in favor of the accused (in that anyone is innocent until there is proof to the contrary).
in duplo
"in double"
"In duplicate".
in effigie
"in the likeness"
"In (the form of) an image", "in effigy" as opposed to "in the flesh" or "in person".
in esse
"in existence"
In actual existence; as opposed to in posse.
in extenso
"in the extended"
"In full", "at full length", "completely", "unabridged".
in extremis
"in the furthest reaches"
In extremity; in dire straits. Also "at the point of death" (cf. in articulo mortis).
in fidem
"into faith"
To the verification of faith.
in fieri
"in becoming"
Thus, "pending".
in fine (i.f.)
"in the end"
At the end. The footnote says "p. 157 in fine": "the end of page 157".
"in a blazing wrong", "while the crime is blazing"
Equivalent to the English idiom "caught red-handed": caught in the act of committing a crime. Sometimes carried the connotation of being caught in a "compromising position".
in flore
"in blossom"
Blooming.
in foro
"in forum"
Legal term for "in court".
infra dignitatem (infra dig)
"beneath one's dignity"
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
"We enter the circle at night and are consumed by fire"
A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film by Guy Debord.
Describes a meeting called for a particular stated purpose only.
in illo tempore
"in that time"
"at that time", found often in Gospel lectures during Masses, used to mark an undetermined time in the past.
in inceptum finis est
"[roughly]the way you begin is how you will end"
in limine
"at the outset"
Preliminary, in law referring to a motion that is made to the judge before or during trial, often about the admissibility of evidence believed prejudicial
in loco
"in the place"
That is, "at the place". The nearby labs were closed for the weekend, so the water samples were analyzed in loco.
A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e., custodial) responsibility and authority". Primary and secondary teachers are typically bound by law to act in loco parentis.
From Horace. Refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Lusíadas and Paradise Lost. Compare ab initio.
in memoriam
"into the memory"
Equivalent to "in the memory of". Refers to remembering or honoring a deceased person.
That is, "in the land of the infidels", infidels here referring to non-Christians. After Islam conquered a large part of the Roman Empire, the corresponding bishoprics didn't disappear, but remained as titular sees.
"Directed towards a particular person". In a lawsuit in which the case is against a specific individual, that person must be served with a summons and complaint to give the courtjurisdiction to try the case. The court's judgment applies to that person and is called an "in personam judgment." In personam is distinguished from in rem, which applies to property or "all the world" instead of a specific person. This technical distinction is important to determine where to file a lawsuit and how to serve a defendant. In personam means that a judgment can be enforceable against the person, wherever he or she is. On the other hand, if the lawsuit is to determine title to property (in rem), then the action must be filed where the property exists and is only enforceable there.
in posse
"in potential"
In the state of being possible; as opposed to in esse.
A legal term used to indicate that a judicial proceeding may not have formally designated adverse parties or is otherwise uncontested. The term is commonly used in case citations of probate proceedings, for example, In re Smith's Estate; it is also used in juvenile courts, as, for instance, In re Gault.
Coined in the early 1990s for scientific papers. Refers to an experiment or process performed virtually, as a computer simulation. The term is Dog Latin modeled after terms such as in vitro and in vivo. The Latin word for silicon is silicium, so the correct Latinization of "in silicon" would be in silicio, but this form has little usage.
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural arrangement. In medical contexts, it implies that the condition is still in the same place and has not worsened, improved, spread, etc. In situ examinations of materials are performed under real conditions, e.g. a neutron diffraction study of a metal under thermo-mechanical conditions rather than post-mortem. In chemical contexts, in situ indicates that a reagent had been made in flask immediately prior to its use in the reaction.
In somnis veritas
"In dreams there is truth"
In spe
"in hope"
"future" ("My mother-in-law in spe", i.e. "My future mother-in-law"), or "in embryonic form", as in "Locke's theory of government resembles, in spe, Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers."
In specialibus generalia quaerimus
"To seek the general in the specifics"
That is, to understand the most general rules through the most detailed analysis.
instante mense (inst.)
"in the present month"
Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the current month. Sometimes abbreviated as instant. Used with ult. ("last month") and prox. ("next month"). "Thank you for your letter of the 17th inst."
in statu nascendi
"in the state of being born"
Just as something is about to begin.
intaminatis fulget honoribus
"Untarnished, she shines with honor"
From Horace?s Odes (III.2.18). Motto of Wofford College.
A term used in formal extract minutes to indicate that the minute quoted has been taken from a fuller record of other matters, or when alluding to the parent group after quoting a particular example.
inter alios
"among others"
Often used to compress lists of parties to legal documents.
"In the face of arms, the law falls mute," more popularly rendered as "In a time of war, the law falls silent."
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs that had virtually seized control of Rome in the '60s and '50s BC. Famously quoted in the essay "Resistance to Civil Government" by Henry David Thoreau as "The clatter of arms drowns out the voice of the law."
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting (e.g., in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell. The reference to glass is merely an historic one, as the current usage of this term is not specific to the materials involved, but rather to the "non-natural" setting employed. Alternative experimental or process methodologies would include in vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo. In vitro fertilization is not literally done "in glass", but rather is a technique to fertilize egg cells outside of a woman's body. By definition, it is thus an ex vivo process.
An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
in vivo veritas
"in a living thing [there is] truth"
An expression used by biologists to express the fact that laboratory findings that do not include testing on an organism (in vitro) are not always reflected when applied to an organism (in vivo). A pun on in vino veritas.
Iohannes est nomen eius
"John is its name / Juan es su Nombre"
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Commonly said in Medieval debates referring to Aristotle, who was considered the supreme authority on matters of philosophy. Used in general to emphasize that some assertion comes from some authority, i.e., as an appeal to authority, and the term ipsedixitism has come to mean any unsupported rhetorical assertion that lacks a logical argument. Originally coined by Cicero in his De Natura Deorum (I, 10) to describe the behavior of the students of Pythagoras.
ipsissima verba
"the very words themselves"
"Strictly word for word" (cf. verbatim). Often used in Biblical Studies to describe the record of Jesus' teaching found in the New Testament (specifically, the four Gospels).
ipsissima voce
"the very 'voice' itself"
To approximate the main thrust or message without using the exact words.
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the ancient Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum ("Peace of the Gods") instead of Ira Deorum ("Wrath of the Gods"): earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.
ira furor brevis est
"Wrath (anger) is but a brief madness".
ita vero
"thus indeed"
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes", preferring to respond to questions with the affirmative or negative of the question (i.e., "Are you hungry?" was answered by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or "No").
"Go, it is sent" (or, more loosely: "You have been dismissed"
The deacon's statement to the congregation as part of the concluding ceremonies of the ritual of the Roman Catholic Mass. Scholars are not all agreed about what it intends.
Iter Legis
"The path of the law"
The path a law takes from its conception to its implementation.
iugulare mortuos
"to cut the throat of corpses"
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). It can mean attacking the work or personality of deceased person. Alternatively, it can be used to describe criticism of an individual already heavily criticised by others.
iura novit curia
"the court knows the laws"
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German tradition (e.g., in Spain,Germany, Italy and Brazil) that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat curia ("the court renews the laws").
iuris ignorantia est cum ius nostrum ignoramus
"it is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights"
ius accrescendi
"right of accrual"
Commonly referred to as "right of survivorship": a rule in property law that surviving joint tenants have rights in equal shares to a decedent's property.
ius ad bellum
"law towards war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the reasons for going to war. Typically, this would address issues of self-defense or preemptive strikes.
ius cogens
"compelling law"
Refers to a fundamental principle of international law considered to have acceptance among the international community of states as a whole. Typically, this would address issues not listed or defined by any authoritative body, but arise out of case law and changing social and political attitudes. Generally included are prohibitions on waging aggressive war, crimes against humanity, war crimes, piracy, genocide, slavery, and torture.
ius in bello
"law in war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants during a conflict. Typically, this would address issues of who or what is a valid target, how to treat prisoners, and what sorts of weapons can be used. The word jus is also commonly spelled ius.
State motto of Oklahoma. Motto of The Potomac School, McLean, Virginia. Town motto of West Bromwich, England. Motto of the City of Bradford, England and although not commonly used today it can still be seen on many Victorian buildings in Bradford such as parts of the Esholt Sewage treatment facility. Motto of Cheltenham College, England, and of Strathallan School, Scotland. Motto of Instituto Nacional, leading Chilean high school. Motto of Luton Borough Football Club, England. Derived from a phrase in Virgil's 10th Eclogue.
A "proglossis", "tip of the tongue" or "apex of the tongue". Often used to mean "linguistic error" or "language mistake". It and its written-word variant, lapsus calami ("slip of the pen") can sometimes refers to a typographical error as well.
Ex.: "I'm sorry for mispronouncing your name. It wasn't intentional; it was a lapsus linguae".
lapsus memoriae
"slip of memory"
Source of the term memory lapse.
Laudator Temporis Acti
"praiser of time past"
One who is discontent with the present but instead prefers things of the past. See "the Good old days".
Describes something genuine, true, real, tested, proven, not assumed, not placebo. Used especially in a medical context. The 'art' referred to in the phrase is medicine.
A legal term describing a "forced share", the portion of a deceased person's estate from which the immediate family cannot be disinherited. From the Frenchhéritier legitime ("rightful heir").
The rule whereby a spouse cannot by deed inter vivos or bequeath by testament to his or her second spouse more than the amount of the smallest portion given or bequeathed to any child.
Used in a Hellsystem album cover from 2005. A similar sentence (Liberate tutemet ex inferis, Save yourself from hell) used in the movie "Event Horizon".
libera te tutemet (ex inferis)
"Free yourself (from hell)"
Used in the movie Event Horizon (1997), where it is translated as "save yourself (from hell)". It is initially misheard as liberate me ("free me"), but is later corrected. Libera te is often mistakenly merged into liberate, which would necessitate a plural pronoun instead of the singular tutemet (which is an emphatic form of tu, "you").
Literally "balance". Its abbreviation, lb, is used as a unit of weight, the pound.
loco citato (lc)
"in the place cited"
More fully written in loco citato. See also opere citato.
locus classicus
"a classic place"
A quotation from a classical text used as an example of something.
locus deperditus
"place of (irremediable) loss"
Used in philology to indicate that subsequent mistakes in the tradition of the text have made a passage as corrupted as to discourage any attempt of correction. The passage is marked by a crux desperationis. Somehow close in meaning to the modern English expression lost in translation.
locus minoris resistentiae
"place of less resistance"
A medical term to describe a location on or in a body that offers little resistance to infection, damage, or injury. For example, a weakened place that tends to be reinjured.
A mangled fragment from Cicero's De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum ("On the Limits of Good and Evil", 45 BC), used as typographer's filler to show fonts (a.k.a. greeking). An approximate literal translation of lorem ipsum might be "sorrow itself", as the term is from dolorum ipsum quia, meaning "sorrow because of itself", or less literally, "pain for its own sake".
luceat lux vestra
"Let your light shine"
May be found in Matthew Ch. 5 V. 16. Popular as a school motto.
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who sought to mock implausible word origins such as those proposed by Priscian. A pun based on the word lucus ("dark grove") having a similar appearance to the verb lucere ("to shine"), arguing that the former word is derived from the latter word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used as an example of absurd etymology.
lupus in fabula
"the wolf in the story"
With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come". Occurs in Terence's play Adelphoe.
A more literal Latinization of the phrase "let there be light", the most common translation of fiat lux ("let light arise", literally "let light be made"), which in turn is the Latin Vulgate Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line "? ????????? ????????, ????? ????; ???????-????" ("And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light"). Motto of the University of Washington.
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