List of Latin phrases (M-O)

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This page lists direct English translations of Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of Ancient Rome.

This list spans letters M to O. See List of Latin phrases for the main list.

Contents
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
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[edit] M

Latin Translation Notes
magister dixit "the master has said it" Canonical medieval reference to Aristotle, precluding further discussion
Magna Carta "Great Charter" A set of documents between Pope Innocent III, King John of England, and English barons.
magna cum laude "with great praise" A common Latin honor, above cum laude and below summa cum laude.
Magna Europa est Patria Nostra "Great Europe is Our Fatherland" Political motto of pan-Europeanists (cf. ave Europa nostra vera Patria)
magna est vis consuetudinis "great is the power of habit"
magno cum gaudio "with great joy"
magnum opus "great work" Said of someone's masterpiece.
maiora premunt "greater things are pressing" Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important, urgent, issues.
mala fide "in bad faith" Said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone. Opposite of bona fide.
mala tempora currunt "bad times are upon us" Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by pupils to copy from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.
male captus bene detentus "wrongly captured, properly detained" An illegal arrest will not prejudice the subsequent detention/trial.
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium "I prefer liberty with danger to peace with slavery"
malum discordiae "apple of discord" Alludes to the apple of Eris in the Judgement of Paris, the mythological cause of the Trojan War. It is also a pun based on the near-homonymous word malum ("evil"). The word for "apple" has a long a vowel in Latin and the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.
malum quo communius eo peius "the more common an evil is, the worse it is"
malum in se "wrong in itself" A legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong (cf. malum prohibitum).
malum prohibitum "wrong due to being prohibited" A legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law.
manu militari "with a military hand" Using armed forces in order to achieve a goal.
manu propria (m.p.) "with one's own hand" With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or official notices, directly following the name of the person(s) who "signed" the document exactly in those cases where there isn't an actual handwritten signature.
manus celer Dei "the swift hand of God" Originally used as the name of a ship in the Marathon game series, its usage has spread. In the PlayStation game, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, the phrase was written in blood on the walls of a vampire's feeding room. It is assumed that one of the dying victims wrote it with his fingers. After the game's main character surveys the bloody room, associative logic dictates that the phrase was to deify both the vampire's wrath on shackled, powerless humans and the boundless slaughter of his victims.
manus manum lavat "one hand washes the other" famous quote from The Pumpkinification of Claudius, ascribed to Seneca the Younger.[1] It implies that one situation helps the other.
mare clausum "closed sea" In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others.
mare liberum "free sea" In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.
mare nostrum "our sea" A nickname given to the Mediterranean Sea during the height of the Roman Empire, as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.
Mater Dei "Mother of God" A name given to describe the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, who is also called the "Son of God."
Mater Facit "Mother Does It" Used as a joke to say Mother Fuck It, though it really means "mother does it"
Mater semper certa est "The mother is always certain" a Roman-law principle which has the power of praesumptio iuris et de iure, meaning that no counter-evidence can be made against this principle (literally: Presumed there is no counter evidence and by the law). Its meaning is that the mother of the child is always known.
materfamilias "the mother of the family" The female head of a family. See paterfamilias.
materia medica "medical matter" The branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.
me vexat pede "it annoys me at the foot" Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or person that is being a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to kick that thing away.
Mea Culpa "My Fault" Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature of mankind. Can also be extended to mea maxima culpa ("my greatest fault"). Poorly analogous to the modern English slang "my bad".
Mea navis aëricumbens anguillis abundat "My hovercraft is full of eels" A relatively common recent Latinization inspired by the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook sketch by Monty Python.
Media vita in morte sumus "In the midst of our lives we die" A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the Middle Ages. It was translated by Cranmer and became a part of the burial service in the funeral rites of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
Mediolanum captum est "Milan has been captured" Used erroneously as Mediolanum Capta Est by the black metal band Mayhem as an album title. Mediolanum was an ancient city in present-day Milan, Italy.
meliora "better things" Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of the University of Rochester.
Melita, domi adsum "Honey, I'm home!" A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke phrasebook Latin for All Occasions. Grammatically correct, but the phrase would be anachronistic in ancient Rome.
memento mori "remember that [you will] die" Figuratively "be mindful of dying" or "remember your mortality", and also more literally rendered as "remember to die", though in English this ironically misses the original intent. An object (such as a skull) or phrase intended to remind people of the inevitability of death. A more common theme in Christian than in Classical art. The motto of the Trappist order.
memento vivere "a reminder of life" Also, "remember that you have to live." Literally rendered as "remember to live."
memores acti prudentes futuri "mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be" Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
mens agitat molem "the mind moves the mass" From Virgil. Motto of Rossall School, the University of Oregon, the University of Warwick and the Eindhoven University of Technology.
mens et manus "mind and hand" Motto of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
mens rea "guilty mind" Also "culprit mind". A term used in discussing the mindset of an accused criminal.
mens sana in corpore sano "a sound mind in a sound body" Or "a sensible mind in a healthy body".
meminerunt omnia amantes "lovers remember all"
Miles Gloriosus "Glorious Soldier" Or "Boastful Soldier". Title of a play of Plautus. A stock character in comedy, the braggart soldier. (It is said that at Salamanca, there is a wall, on which graduates inscribe their names, where Francisco Franco had a plaque installed reading FRANCISCUS FRANCUS MILES GLORIOSUS.)
minatur innocentibus qui parcit nocentibus "he threatens the innocent who spares the guilty"
mirabile dictu "wonderful to tell"
mirabile visu "wonderful by the sight" A Roman phrase used to describe a wonderful event/happening.
Miscerique probat populos et foedera jungi "He approves of the mingling of the peoples and their bonds of union" Latin Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV, line 112, "he" referring to the great Roman god, who approved of the settlement of Romans in Africa. Old Motto of Trinidad and Tobago, and used in the novel A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul.
miserabile visu "terrible by the sight" A terrible happening or event.
miserere nobis "have mercy upon us" A phrase within the Gloria in Excelsis Deo and the Agnus Dei, to be used at certain points in Christian religious ceremonies.
missit me Dominus "the Lord has sent me" A phrase used by Jesus Christ.
mittimus "we send" A warrant of commitment to prison, or an instruction for a jailer to hold someone in prison.
mobilis in mobili "moving in a moving thing" or, poetically, "changing through the changing medium" The motto of the Nautilus from the Jules Verne novel 20000 Leagues Under the Sea.

oBOO
modus operandi (M.O.) "method of operating" Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.
modus ponens "method of placing" Loosely "method of affirming", a logical rule of inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and P, then one can conclude Q.
modus tollens "method of removing" Loosely "method of denying", a logical rule of inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and not Q, then one can conclude not P.
modus morons
(Dog Latin)		 — Dog Latin based on wordplay with modus ponens and modus tollens, referring to the common logical fallacy that if P then Q and not P, then one can conclude not Q (cf. contraposition).
modus vivendi "method of living" An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go on. A practical compromise.
montani semper liberi "mountaineers [are] always free" State motto of West Virginia, adopted in 1872.
Montis Insignia Calpe "Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar"
Mortui Vivos Docent "(Let the) dead teach the living" Used to justify dissections of human cadavers in order to understand the cause of death.
more ferarum "like beasts" used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morituri nolumus mori "we who are about to die don't want to" From Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero
morituri te salutant "we who are about to die salute you" Used once in Suetonius' Life of the Divine Claudius, chapter 21, by the condemned prisoners manning galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute.
mors certa, hora incerta "death is certain, its hour is uncertain"
mors tua vita mea "your death, my life" From medieval Latin, it indicates that battle for survival, where your defeat is necessary for my victory, survival.
mors vincit omnia "death conquers all" or "death always wins" An axiom often found on headstones.
mortuum flagellas "you are flogging a dead" From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Criticising one who will not be affected in any way by the criticism.
mos maiorum "the custom of our ancestors" an unwritten code of laws and conduct, of the Romans. It institutionalized cultural traditions, societal mores, and general policies, as distinct from specific laws.
motu proprio "on his own initiative" Or "by his own accord." Identifies a class of papal documents, administrative papal bulls.
mulgere hircum "to milk a male goat" From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Attempting the impossible.
multis e gentibus vires "from many peoples, strength" Motto of Saskatchewan.
multum in parvo "much in little" Conciseness. The motto of Rutland, a county in central England.

Latin phrases are often multum in parvo, conveying much in few words.
mundus vult decipi "the world wants to be deceived" From James Branch Cabell.
munit haec et altera vincit "this one defends and the other one conquers" Motto of Nova Scotia.
mutatis mutandis "with those things changed which needed to be changed" Thus, "with the appropriate changes".

[edit] N

Latin Translation Notes
Nasciturus pro iam nato habetur, quotiens de commodis eius agitur "The unborn is deemed to have been born to the extent that his own inheritance is concerned" Refers to a situation where an unborn child is deemed to be entitled to certain inheritance rights.
natura abhorret a vacuo "nature abhors a vacuum"
natura non contristatur "nature is not saddened" That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
natura non facit saltum ita nec lex "nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the law" Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" ("just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law"), referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
navigare necesse est vivere non est necesse "to sail is necessary; to live is not necessary" Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius, who, during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome.
nec plus ultra "nothing more beyond" Also nec plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules, for example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Charles V's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillars—as plus ultra, without the negation. This represented Spain's expansion into the New World.
ne sutor ultra crepidam "Cobbler, no further than the sandal!" Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your competence. It is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he was painting. When the cobbler started offering advice on other parts of the painting, Apelles rebuked him with this phrase in Greek, and it subsequently became a popular Latin expression.
nec dextrorsum, nec sinistrorsum "Neither to the right nor to the left" Do not get distracted. This Latin phrase is also the motto for Bishop Cotton Boys School and the Bishop Cotton Girls High school, both located in Bangalore, India.
nec spe, nec metu "without hope, without fear"
nec tamen consumebatur "and yet it was not consumed" Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus 3:2. Motto of many Presbyterian churches throughout the world, including Australia.
nec temere nec timide "neither reckless nor timid" The motto of the Dutch 11th air manoeuvre brigade 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade
neca eos omnes, deus suos agnoscet "kill them all, god will know his own." said by Arnaud Amaury, the Abbot of Citeaux, the Papal Legate. Recorded by a monk who was present at the time. The Abbot had been asked by the military commander of the crusade, the Earl of Leicester, how best to deal with the heretics and this is how he replied. The phrase has been adapted to "Kill them all, let God sort 'em out" and is a commonly used military proverb to this day.
nemine contradicente (nem. con.) "with no one speaking against" Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously.
nemo dat quod non habet "no one gives what he does not have" Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
nemo est supra legis "nobody is above the law"
nemo iudex in sua causa "no man shall be a judge in his own cause" Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he holds a specific interest or bias.
nemo malus felix "peace visits not the guilty mind" Also translated to "no peace for the wicked." Refers to the inherent psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
nemo me impune lacessit "no one provokes me with impunity" Motto of the Order of the Thistle, and consequently of Scotland, found stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is also the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story "The Cask of Amontillado"
nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur "No one learns except by friendship" Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
nemo saltat sobrius "Nobody dances sober" The short and more common form of "Nemo enim fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit", "Nobody dances sober, unless he is completely insane."
nemo tenetur seipsum accusare "no one is bound to accuse himself" A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination. Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se ("no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta contra se ("no one is bound to produce documents against himself", meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern criminal law, but no longer applies in modern civil law); and nemo tenere prodere seipsum ("no one is bound to betray himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam "Endless money forms the sinews of war" In war, it is essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay troops (as Napoleon put it, "An army marches on its stomach").
nihil ad rem "nothing to do with the point" That is, in law, irrelevant and / or inconsequential.
nihil dicit "he says nothing" In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or put in a plea.
nihil novi "nothing of the new" Or just "nothing new". The phrase exists in two versions: as nihil novi sub sole ("nothing new under the sun"), from the Vulgate, and as nihil novi nisi commune consensu ("nothing new unless by the common consensus"), a 1505 law of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and one of the cornerstones of its Golden Liberty.
nihil obstat "nothing prevents" A notation, usually on a title page, indicating that a Roman Catholic censor has reviewed the book and found nothing objectionable to faith or morals in its content. See also imprimatur.
Nihil sine Deo "Nothing without God" The motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (1878 - 1947).
nil admirari "be surprised at nothing"
nil desperandum "nothing must be despaired at" That is, "never despair".
nil nisi bonum "(about the dead say) nothing unless (it is) good" Short for nil nisi bonum de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't speak ill of anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum nisi bonum" ("nothing is great unless good"), motto of St Catherine's School, Toorak.
nil nisi malis terrori "no terror, except to the bad" The motto of King's School, Macclesfield.
nil per os (n.p.o.) "nothing through the mouth" Medical shorthand indicating that oral foods and fluids should be withheld from the patient.
nil satis nisi optimum "nothing [is] enough unless [it is] the best" Motto of Everton Football Club, residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
nil sine numine "nothing without the divine will" Or "nothing without providence". State motto of Colorado, adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine numine devum eveniunt" ("these things do not come to pass without the will of the gods"). See also numina.
nil volentibus arduum "Nothing [is] arduous for the willing" "Nothing is impossible for the willing"
nisi Dominus frustra "if not the Lord, [it is] in vain" That is, "everything is in vain without God". Summarized from Psalm 127, "nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit" ("unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who guards it"). The motto of Edinburgh.
nisi prius "unless previously" In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court.
nolens volens "unwilling, willing" That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis volentis. Similar to willy-nilly, though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ("[whether] he will or [whether] he will not").
noli me tangere "do not touch me" Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John, this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.
noli turbare circulos meos "Do not disturb my circles!" That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse. The soldier was executed for his act.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
(Dog Latin)		 "Don't let the bastards grind you down" From 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood. Offred finds the phrase inscribed on the inside of her wardrobe. One of many variants of Illegitimi non carborundum.
nolle prosequi "to be unwilling to prosecute" A legal motion by a prosecutor or other plaintiff to drop legal charges, usually in exchange for a diversion program or out-of-court settlement.
nolo contendere "I do not wish to contend" That is, "no contest". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
nomen dubium "doubtful name" A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
nomen est omen "the name is a sign" Thus, "true to its name".
nomen nescio (N.N.) "I do not know the name" Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
nomen nudum "naked name" A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.
non bis in idem "not twice in the same thing" A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
non causa pro causa "not the cause for the cause" Also known as the "questionable cause" or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis "not in control of the mind" See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui ("not in control of himself"). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
non ducor duco "I am not led; I lead" Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.
non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum "you should not make evil in order that good may be made from it" More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase "the ends justify the means".
non impediti ratione congitatonis "unencumbered by the thought process" Motto of radio show Car Talk.
non in legendo sed in intelligendo legis consistunt "the laws depend not on being read, but on being understood"
non liquet "it is not proven" Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not complete.
non mihi solum "not for myself alone" Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.
non nobis solum "not for ourselves alone" Appears in Cicero de officiis, 1:22 in the form non nobis solum nati sumus ("we are not born for ourselves alone").
non nobis solum nati sumus "not unto ourselves alone are we born" Motto of Willamette University, Salem, Oregon.
non obstante veredicto "not standing in the way of a verdict" A judgment notwithstanding verdict, a legal motion asking the court to reverse the jury's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
non olet "it doesn't smell" See pecunia non olet.
non omnis moriar "I shall not all die" "Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the speaker will survive beyond death.
non plus ultra "nothing further beyond" Can be used to describe the point of no return, or the point at which one cannot or should not go further. "The non plus ultra in the art of the possible (politics) consists of withdrawing from an untenable position." Hans Magnus Enzensberger [2]. Speaking in 1990, he is referring to the fact that those who had supported Communism in East Europe were in a position that was uncomfortable for them.
non possumus "not possible"
non progredi est regredi "to not go forward is to go backward"
non prosequitur "he does not proceed" A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
Non scholae sed vitae discimus "We learn not for school, but for life." from Seneca. Also, motto of the Istanbul Bilgi University.
non quis sed quid "not who but what" Used in the sense "what matters is not who says it but what he says" – a warning against ad hominem arguments.
non sequitur "it does not follow" In general, a non sequitur is a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy, a non sequitur is a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
non serviam "I will not serve" Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah. Commonly used in literature as Satan's statement of disobedience to God, though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel, not Satan.
Non sibi "Not for self." A slogan used by many schools and universities.
Non sibi sed suis "Not for one's self but for one's own." A slogan used by many schools and universities. Including Tulane University.
Non silba, sed anthar; Deo vindice "Not for self, but for others; God will vindicate." A slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan.
non sum qualis eram "I am not such as I was" Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the speaker.
Non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum "Do not hold as gold all that shines as gold." Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Parabolae. Also used by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice
Non tiemblo mala "I do not fear evil" This is the phrase read in the Colt, in Supernatural.
non vi, sed verbo "Not through violence, but through the word alone Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Reformation)
nosce te ipsum "know thyself" From Cicero, based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet nosce ("thine own self know"), is translated in The Matrix as "know thyself".
noster nostri "Our Hearts Beat As One"
nota bene (n.b.) "mark well" That is, "please note" or "note it well".
Novus Ordo Seclorum "New Order of the Ages" From Virgil. Motto on the Great Seal of the United States. Similar to Novus Ordo Mundi ("New world order").
Nulla dies sine linea "Not a day without a line drawn." Pliny the Elder attributes this maxim to Apelles, an ancient Greek artist.
Nulla poena sine lege no penalty without a law Refers to the legal principle that one cannot be punished for doing something that is not prohibited by law, and is related to Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.
nullam rem natam "no thing born" That is, "nothing". It has been theorized that this expression is the origin of Italian nulla, French rien, and Spanish and Portuguese nada, all with the same meaning.
nulli secundus "second to none" Motto of the Coldstream Guards.
Nullius in verba "On the word of no man" Motto of the Royal Society.
nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege "no crime, no punishment without law" Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing something that is not prohibited by law. It also means that penal law cannot be enacted retroactively. See also Nullum crimen et nulla poena sine lege and Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali
nullum magnum inganeum sine muxtura dimentia fuit "There can be no greatness without an ounce of madness"
numerus clausus "closed number" A method to limit the number of students who may study at a university.
nunc dimittis "now you are sending away" In the Gospel of Luke, spoken by Simeon while holding the baby Jesus when he felt he was ready to be dismissed into the afterlife ("he had seen the light"). Often used in the same way the phrase Eureka is used, as a jubilant exclamation of revelation.
nunc est bibendum "now is the time to drink" Carpe-Diem-type phrase from the Odes of Horace, "Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus" (Now is the time to drink, now the time to dance footloose upon the earth).
nunc pro tunc "now for then" Something that has retroactive effect, is effective from an earlier date.
nunc scio quid sit amor "now I know what love is" From Virgil, Eclogues VIII.
nunquam minus solus quam cum solus "never less alone than when alone."
nunquam non paratus "never unprepared" Motto of the Scottish clan Johnston
  1. ^ Harbottle, Thomas Benfield (1906). Dictionary of Quotations (Classical). The Macmillan co.. 
  2. ^ Enzensberger, Hans Magnus. "The State of Europe," in Granta: The First Twenty-One Years. (London, Granta Books: 2001) pg 181.

[edit] O

Latin Translation Notes
O homines ad servitutem paratos "Men fit to be slaves!" Attributed (in Tacitus, Annales, III, 65) to the Emperor Tiberius, in disgust at the servile attitude of Roman senators. Used of those who should be leaders but instead slavishly follow the lead of others.
O tempora O mores "Oh, the times! Oh, the morals!" Also translated "What times! What customs!" From Cicero, Catilina I, 1, 2.
obiit (ob.) "one died" "He died" or "she died", an inscription on gravestones. ob. also sometimes stands for obiter ("in passing" or "incidentally").
Obit anus, abit onus "The old woman dies, the burden is lifted" Arthur Schopenhauer.
obiter dictum "a thing said in passing" In law, an observation by a judge on some point of law not directly relevant to the case before him, and thus neither requiring his decision nor serving as a precedent, but nevertheless of persuasive authority. In general, any comment, remark or observation made in passing.
obscuris vera involvens "the truth being enveloped by obscure things" From Virgil.
obscurum per obscurius "the obscure by means of the more obscure" An explanation that is less clear than what it tries to explain. Synonymous with ignotum per ignotius.
oculus dexter (O.D.) "right eye" Ophthalmologist shorthand.
oculus sinister (O.S.) "left eye" Ophthalmologist shorthand.
oderint dum metuant "let them hate, so long as they fear" Favorite saying of Caligula, attributed originally to Lucius Accius, Roman tragic poet (170 BC). Recently a motto on an official Triple H T-shirt
odi et amo "I hate and I love" The opening of Catullus 85. The entire poem reads, "odi et amo quare id faciam fortasse requiris / nescio sed fieri sentio et excrucior" ("I hate and I love. Why do I do this, you perhaps ask. / I do not know, but I feel it happening and am tormented.").
odi profanum vulgus et arceo "I hate the unholy rabble and keep them away" From Horace.
odium theologicum "theological hatred" A name for the special hatred generated in theological disputes.
oleum camino "(To pour) oil on the fire" From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508).
omnes vulnerant, postuma necat or omnes feriunt, ultima necat "All [the hours] wound, last one kills". Usual in clocks, reminding the reader of death.
omne ignotum pro magnifico "every unknown thing [is taken] for great" Or "everything unknown appears magnificent".
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina "everything said [is] stronger if said in Latin" Or "everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin". A more common phrase with the same meaning is quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur.
omnia mutantur, nihil interit "everything changes, but nothing is truly lost" Quoted in issue Neil Gaiman's comic The Sandman (Sandman #74, "Exiles")
omnia vincit amor "love conquers all". From Ovid.
omne vivum ex ovo "Every living thing is from an egg" A foundational concept of modern biology, opposing the theory of spontaneous generation.
omnia munda mundis "everything [is] pure to the pure [men]" From The New Testament.
omnia praesumuntur legitime facta donec probetur in contrarium "all things are presumed to be lawfully done, until it is shown [to be] in the reverse" In other words, "innocent until proven guilty".
omnibus idem "the same to all" The motto of P.C. Hooft, usually accompanied by a sun, which shines for (almost) everyone.
omnium gatherum "gathering of all" A miscellaneous collection or assortment. Often used facetiously.
onus probandi "burden of proof"
onus procedendi "burden of procedure" Burden of a party to adduce evidence that a case is an exception to the rule
opera omnia "all works" The collected works of an author.
opera posthuma "posthumous works" Works published after the author's death.
opere citato (op. cit.) "in the work that was cited" Used in academic works when referring again to the last source mentioned or used.
opere laudato (op. laud.) See opere citato
operibus anteire "leading the way with deeds" To speak with actions instead of words.
ophidia in herba "a snake in the grass" Any hidden danger or unknown risk.
opus anglicanum "English work" Fine embroidery. Especially used to describe church vestments.
Opus Dei "The Work of God" Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá. Its mission is to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.
ora et labora "pray and work" The Motto of Order of Saint Benedict as well as the motto for St. Joseph's Institution, Dalhousie Law School, Halifax Nova Scotia, and Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, Tangasseri, India, and other institutions.
ora pro nobis "pray for us"
oratio directa "direct speech" An expression from Latin grammar. cf. "oratio obliqua."
oratio obliqua "indirect speech" An expression from Latin grammar. cf. "oratio directa."
orbis non sufficit "the world does not suffice"
"the world is not enough"		 Originates from Juvenal's Tenth Satire, referring to Alexander the Great. James Bond's adopted family motto in the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It made a brief appearance in the film adaptation of the same name and was later used as the title of the nineteenth James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough.
orbis unum "One world" Seen in The Legend of Zorro.
ordo ab chao "Out of chaos, comes order" The phrase is one of the oldest mottos of Craft Freemasonry.[citation needed]
orta recens quam pura nites "newly risen, how brightly you shine" Motto of New South Wales.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^  Exempli gratia (e.g.) and id est (i.e.) are commonly confused and misused in colloquial English. The former, exempli gratia, means "for example", and is used before giving examples of something ("I have lots of favorite colors, e.g., blue, green, and hot pink"). The latter, id est, means "that is", and is used before clarifying the meaning of something, when elaborating, specifying, or explaining rather than when giving examples ("I have lots of favorite colors, i.e., I can't decide on just one").
  2. ^  American style guides tend to recommend that "e.g." and "i.e." should generally be followed by a comma, just as "for example" and "that is" would be; UK style tends to omit the comma. See Dictionary.com and their discussion of commas for more information. Search "comma after i.e." for other opinions.

Technical style guides generally recommend the use of the phrase "for example" instead of e.g., and "that is," instead of i.e. The substitution of the English equivalent for the Latin is made in the interest of Clarity, one of the guiding principles of good technical writing.

[edit] References

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