Latin Phrases.doc

8/14/2019 Latin Phrases.doc

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Latin Phrases, Latin sayings, Latin idioms,

Latin phrases, latin sentences famos

A cappella[Music] in church [style], i.e. unacompanied

voices.A prioriFrom what comes before.

Ad absurdumTo the point of absurdity.Ad hocFor this purpose.

Ad infinitumWithout limit - endlessly.

Ad nauseamTo a sickenin e!tent.

Alma Mater"ne#s old school $literally #bounteous mother#%.

Alter ego"ther $alternative% self.

Annus horribilis& horrible year.

Agnus Dei'amb of (od.

Aqua pura)ure water.

Aqua vitae&lcoholic spirit, e.. brandy*whisky. 'iterally

#water of life#.

Ars longa, vita brevis+kill takes time to acuire, but life is short.

Ave Mariaail Mary.

Carpe diem

+eie the day $More literally translated as #en/oy

the day, pluck it when it is ripe#%.

Caveat emptor'et the buyer beware.

Cogito ergo sum0 think, therefore 0 am.

Corpus Christi

The body of 1hrist.

De facto0n fact - in reality.

Dei Gratia2y the race of (od.

Pluribus !num"ne from many.

t cetera "etc.#&nd the rest.

t tu, $rute&nd you, 2rutus.

% libris#"ut of the books#, i.e. from the library.

Gloria in e%celsis deo(lory to (od in the hihest.

&abeas corpus3ou must have the body $in court%.

'n absentia0n one#s absence.

'n camera0n private chamber.

'n flagrante delicto0n the act of committin an offence.

'n loco parentis0n the place of a parent.

'n vitro0n a test tube $literally #in lass#%.

'pso facto2y that very fact.

Magnum opus& reat work.

Mea culpaMy fault.

Modus operandi "m.o.#Mode of operatin.

(olens volensWillinly or unwillinly $see also, willy-nilly%.

Post partum&fter childbirth.

Praemonitus, praemunitusForewarned is forearmed.Prima facie
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&t first siht4 on the face of it.

Pro bonoWithout chare - for the public ood.

)pus DeiThe work of (od.

*uid pro quo+omethin for somethin, i.e. a favour for a

favour.

*uo vadis+Where are you oin5

igor mortisThe riidity of death.

-emper fidelis&lways faithful.

-ine qua non

0ndispensable.-tatus quoThe current state of affairs.

-ub udice2efore a court.

/empus fugitTime flees.

/erra firma+olid round.

!rbi et orbiTo the city and to the lobe.

0eni vidi vici0 came, 0 saw, 0 conuered.

0ice versaThe other way around.

0ivat egina'on live the ueen.

0o% populi)eoples voice

1rench Phrases, 1rench sayings,1rench grammar sayings, 1renchproverbs2 la carte"n the menu, with each dish priced.

2 la modeFashionable4 also, in the 6+&, with ice cream.

Agent provocateur#)rovocative aent# - a spy employed to induce or

incite a suspected person or roup to commit an

incriminatin act.

Aide3de3camp&n officer who assists a eneral in his military

duties.

Aide3m4moire&n aid to memory.

Apr5s3s6i+ocialiin after a skiin session. &lso a name of

a type of footwear worn after removin ski

boots.

Art d4co#7ecorative art# - a style of art oriinatin in

)aris in the early 89th century. &n eclectic and

lamourous artform, takin in aspects of 1ubism

and eometric industrial desin.

Art nouveau#:ew art# - a style of art developed towards the

end of the ;


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Au naturel6ndressed or #in a natural state#.

Au pair& youn foreiner, usually female, who

undertakes domestic tasks in e!chane for

accommodation.Au revoirFarewell for the time bein. +ometimes iven in

=nlish in the /okey au reservoir version.

Avant gardeThe pioneers or innovators in art in a particular

period. &lso, a military term, meanin vanuard

or advance uard.

$elle 4poque#2eautiful era# - the olden ae of art and culture

in France in the early 89th century.$7te noire& pet peeve. & thin or person found

particularly unwelcome and to be avoided.

$illet dou%& short love letter or note.

$on app4tit#(ood appetite# - >=n/oy your food>.

$on mot1lever, witty remark.

$on vivant#(ood liver# - a person who en/oys life,

especially #wine, women and son#.

$on voyageave a ood trip.

Caf4 au lait1offee with milk.

Carte blancheavin free rein to choose whatever course of

action you want.

Cause c4l5bre&n issue arousin widespread controversy or

debate. &n =nlish invention, rarely used in

France.

C8est la vieThat#s life or such is life. "ften used in

disappointed resination followin some bad

fortune.

Chaise longue#'on chair# - a form of sofa with an elonated

seat lon enouh to support the les. "ften

erroneously called a chaise loune in the 6+&.

This isn#t the derivation of either the noun orverb loune, which both lon pre-date the

invention of chaise lonues.

Charg4& diplomat, temporarily in chare of business.

Cherche9 la femme'iterally, >look for the woman.>

Cin4ma v4rit4& form of filmmakin that combines

documentary-style techniues to tell a story.

Cordon bleuih uality, especially of cookin.

Cordon sanitaire& political or medical buffer one.

Coup d84tat&n abrupt overthrow of a overnment throuh

unconstitutional means, for e!ample, by force, or

by occupation of overnment structures durin

the leader#s absence.

Coup de gr:ce"riinally a blow by which one condemned or

mortally wounded is #put out of his misery#.

Fiuratively, a finishin stroke, one that settles

or puts an end to somethin.

Cr5me br;l4e#2urnt cream# - baked custard with a carmelied

crust

Cr5me caramel& flan. & custard dessert with a layer or caramel

on top.

Cr5me de la cr5meThe best of the best. 'iterally the cream of the

cream.

Cri de coeur #1ry of the heart# - a heartfelt cryof anuish.

Cul3de3sac& thorouhfare that is closed at one end - a blind


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$as they think best%#.

L8esprit de l8escalierThis isn#t actually widely adopted into =nlish. 0

include it here in the hope that it miht become

so. 0t means - thinkin of a suitable retort orremark after the opportunity to make it has

passed. 'iterally, #the wit of the staircase#.

Mal de mer+easickness.

Mardi grasThe last day of the 1arnival or pre-'enten

season. 'iterally, #Fat Tuesday#, called +hrove

Tuesday in the 6?.

M4nage < trois

#ousehold of three# - three people in a se!ualrelationship.

Merci beaucoupThank you very much.

Mot uste=!actly the riht word or e!pression.

(8est3ce pas+0s it not so5

(oblesse obligeThe responsibility conferred by rank. 'iterally,

#noble rank entails responsibility#.

(om de guerre& name assumed by individuals enaed in a

military enterprise or espionae, usually in order

to conceal their true identity. 'iterally, #war

name#.

(om de plume&n assumed name under which a person writes

or publishes. 'iterally, #pen name#.

(ouveau riche#:ewly rich# - a snobbish term for a persoon who

has come into money but has not developed the

manners e!pected of wealthy people.

(ouvelle cuisine& form of cookin of the mid 89th century that

emphasied lihtness and decorative form.

)bet d8art

&n #art ob/ect#.

Papier m:ch4& material used for scultural artwork and

craftwork. 'iterally #mashed paper#.

Par e%cellence

)re-eminently supreme - above all others.Pas de deu%0mpossible to avoid the corny #father of twins#

/oke here. The real meanin is a dance $typically

a ballet%, and in e!tended use a partnership,

between two people.

Petit four& small dessert - usually a dainty cake.

Petit mal#+mall illness# - a mild epilepsy.

Petit point+mall stitchin, used in needlepoint.

Pi5ce de r4sistanceThe best part or feature of somethin, especially

of a meal.

Pied3


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)lease respond $to my messae%. 'iterally the

abbreviation of #@Aponde, s#il vous plaBt#.

-acr4 bleuThis eneral mild e!clamation of shock is the

archetypal French phrase, as viewed by the=nlish. :o portrayal of a stae Frenchman in an

=nlish farce could be complete without a

character in a beret and striped /umper,

shruin his shoulders and mutterin #+acrA

bleuC#. 'iterally, #holy blue#, which refers to the

colour associated with the Dirin Mary.

-ang3froid1oolness, indifference. 'iterally, #cold blood#.

-avoir3faire

+ocial race4 means know-how in French.-8il vous pla@t)lease. 'iterally, #if it pleases you#.

-oupe du our#+oup of the day# - the soup offered by a

restaurant that day.

/able d8hte& full-course meal offerin a limited number of

choices and served at a fi!ed price in a restaurant

or hotel.

/7te3

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Latin Phrases.doc