The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (4 page)

Adi Granth (ahdee grant), Granth,
Granth Sahib (grant saheeb) HINDI
[the first book] noun phrase the sacred
Scriptures of Sikhism, a collection of
hymns and religious poetry.

ad infinitum (ad infanrtam) LATIN [to
the infinite] adverb phrase without
end, indefinitely: "I think I rave in a kind
of exquisite delirium. I should wish now to
protract this moment ad infinitum; but I
dare not" (Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre,
1847). -adjective phrase without end,
indefinitely.

ad initium (ad inisheeam) LATIN [at
the beginning] adverb phrase at the
beginning, from the start. 'abbreviated
form ad init.

ad interim (ad intarim) LATIN [to
meanwhile] adverb phrase for the
time being, meanwhile, temporarily: "The assistant principal will run the
school ad interim until a new principal is
appointed." -adjective phrase temporary.
"abbreviated form ad int.

adios (adeeos) SPANISH [with God]
interjection good-bye! farewell!: "A
pretty scholar,' laughed the Lakeman.
Adios, Senor!' and leaping into the sea,
he swam back to his comrades" (Herman
Melville, Moby-Dick, 1851).

ad lib (ad lib), ad-lib LATIN [abbreviation of ad libitum at pleasure] adverb
phrase without restraint, spontaneously. adjective phrase unrestrained,
spontaneous. -verb to deliver a spontaneous, extemporized speech or performance: "The actors were forced to ad
lib until the stagehands could free the
jammed curtain."-noun something said,
written, or done spontaneously.

ad litem (ad litam) LATIN [for the
suit] adjective phrase (in law) as legal
guardian for another. adverb phrase
(law) as legal guardian for another.

ad litteram (ad litaram) LATIN [to the
letter] adverb phrase to the letter,
exactly.

ad locum (ad lMkam) LATIN [to the
place] adverb phrase (in bibliographical
references) at the place. -abbreviated form ad loc.

ad majorem Dei gloriam (ad ma),oram dayee gloreeam) LATIN [for the
greater glory of God] adverb phrase
for the greater glory of God (motto
of the Jesuit order). abbreviated form
A.M.D. G.

ad nauseam (ad nozeeam) LATIN [to
sickness] adverb phrase interminably,
to an excessive or sickening degree: "She
rattled on about her discovery ad nauseam."

adobe (adobee) SPANISH [adobar to
plaster, from Arabic at-tub brick] noun
a simple brick made from sun-dried
earth or straw, or a building made of
such bricks: "The house and several outbuildings were constructed of adobe, which,
according to Belding, retained the summer
heat on into winter, and the winter cold on
into summer" (Zane Grey, Desert Gold,
1913).

Adonis (adonis) GREEK [after the
beautiful youth of Greek and Roman
mythology with whom the goddess of
love Aphrodite fell in love] noun an
exceptionally handsome young man:
"`Humph! my beau must be an Adonis
indeed, Matilda, the admired of all beholders, if I am to be contented with him alone"
(Anne Bronte, Agnes Grey, 1845).

ad personam (ad personam) LATIN
[to the person] adverb phrase (of an
argument) designed to appeal to a
person's emotions rather than to their
intellect. 'adjective phrase of or relating to such an appeal.

ad referendum (ad referendum) LATIN
[for referring] adverb phrase for further consideration (usuall), by a higher
authority).

ad rem (ad rem) LATIN [to the thing]
adverb phrase to the purpose, relevantly, to the point: "The evidence
offered in the company's defense was hardly
ad rem.." "adjective phrase relevant.

adroit (adroit) FRENCH [a toward
and droit right, from Latin directus straight] adjective clever, dexterous, skillful, resourceful: "He told
her about the election, and Anna knew
how by adroit questions to bring him to
what gave him most pleasure his own
success" (Leo Tolsto),, Anna Karenina,
1874-76).

ad valorem (ad valorem) LATIN
[according to strength] adjective
phrase in proportion to the value of
the goods or property: "The new tax
will be raised ad valorem." abbreviated
form ad val.

ad verbum (ad verbum) LATIN [to a
word] adverb phrase verbatim, word
for word, to the word: "The reporter
took down the statement ad verbum."
'"adjective phrase verbatim, word for
word, to the word.

ad vivum (ad veevam) LATIN [according to life] adverb phrase (of portraits
etc.) from life, lifelike. '"adjective
phrase lifelike.

advocatus diaboli (advakahtas deeabalee) LATIN [advocate of the devil]
noun phrase (plural advocati diaboli,
advakahtee deeabalee) a devil's
advocate, a person appointed to find
faults (originall),, an official of the
Roman Catholic Church appointed
to question a nominee's suitability
for beatification or canonization).

adzuki (adzuukee) JAPANESE [from
azuki] noun a variety of bean, reddish in color and sweet in flavor, that
is popular in Japanese cuisine.

aegis (eel), egis GREEK [aigis goatskin, a reference to the goatskin shield
of the god Zeus] noun auspices,
sponsorship, patronage, authority,
protection, direction, guidance: "It's a
new series of books produced under the aegis
of the Department of Education."

aegrotat (igrotat) LATIN [he is sick,
from aegrotare to be ill] noun a certificate confirming that a student is
too ill to attend an examination, lecture, etc.; can also refer to a degree
awarded to a student despite the fact
that he or she has missed examinations
through illness: "The teacher was reluctant to give the boys an aegrotat in case it
served as a precedent."

aeon (eeon), eon GREEK [aion age]
noun an age, an immensely long
period of time: "Certainly, too, we shall
awake, and live again and again shall sleep,
and so on and on, through periods, spaces, and times, from aeon unto aeon, till the
world is dead, and the worlds beyond the
world are dead, and naught liveth save
the Spirit that is Life" (H. Rider Haggard, She, 1887).

affaire (afair) FRENCH [affair, abbreviated from affaire d'amour love affair
or affaire de coeur affair of the heart,
d faire to do] noun a love affair or
scandal, sensation, event: "The next
day's paper had these additional particulars. The Tragedy in the Rue Morgue.
Many individuals have been examined in
relation to this most extraordinary and
frightful affair,' (The word `affaire' has not
yet, in France, that levity of import which
it conveys with us)..." (Edgar Allan Poe,
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue,"
1841).

affaire d'amour See AFFAIRE.

affaire de coeur See AFFAIRE.

affaire d'honneur (afair doner)
FRENCH [affair of honor] noun phrase
(plural affaires d'honneur) an argument or conflict involving a challenge to a person's honor, a duel: "The
young duke considered the insult an affaire
d'honneur and immediately challenged his
critic to a duel."

afficionado See AFICIONADO.

affidavit (afadit) LATIN [he/she
has made an oath, from affidare to
declare on oath] noun a written

statement made under an oath before
a magistrate of other court official:
"Will you do me the favor to mention (as it
may interest her) that I have something
to tell her on her return in reference to
the person who copied the affidavit in the
Chancery suit, which so powerfully stimulated her curiosity" (Charles Dickens,
Bleak House, 1852-53).

afflatus (afltas) LATIN [act of blowing or breathing on, from afflare to
blow on] noun (plural afflatus or
afflatuses) inspiration or knowledge
(especially when apparently imparted
from divine or supernatural sources):
"Through me the afflatus surging and
surging, through me the current / and
index" (Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass,
1855).

aficionado (afishanahdo, afiseeanahdo),
afficionado SPANISH [amateur, from
the past participle of aficionar to inspire
affection, ultimately from Latin affectio
favorable disposition] noun a person
who has a particular interest in or
enthusiasm for something: "He likes to
think of himself as an aficionado of the
arts.' -noun, feminine aficionada (afishanahda, afiseeanahda), afficionada a
woman who has a particular interest in
or enthusiasm for something.

A fond (a &n ) FRENCH [to bottom]
adverb phrase thoroughly, completely.

a fortiori (a), forsheeoree, ay forteeoree) LATIN [from the stronger] adverb phrase with greater reason or force,
much more, even more so, all the
more. 'adjective phrase more certain,
more conclusive.

aga (ahga) agha TURKISH [master, lord, from Mongolian aqa] noun
(formerly) the rank of a military
commander in the Ottoman Empire;
also used more generally as a courtesy
title in rural Turkish communities:
"Then the Princess bade an aga of the
eumuchry go down and barter the old
lamp for a new lamp" (Richard Burton,
"Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp,"
Arabian Nights, 1885-88). Aga khan is
the title of the spiritual leader of the
Nizari sect of Ismaili Muslims.

agape (agahpay, agapay) GREEK [brotherly love] noun (plural agapes or
agapae, agapee) a love feast or feast
of fellowship among early Christians;
can also refer to God's love for the
human race.

agent provocateur (azhon(g) provokater, ayjant provokater) FRENCH
[provoking agent] noun phrase (plural
agents provocateurs) a spy, a secret
agent who incites others to commit
incriminating acts while pretending
to be in sympathy with them: "The
proper business of an `agent provocateur'
is to provoke. As far as I can judge from
your record kept here, you have done nothing to earn your money for the last three
years"(Joseph Conrad, The Secret Agent,
1907).

aggiornamento (ajornamento) ITALIAN
[updating, from aggiornare to update]
noun the modernization or updating
of an institution or organization.

agitprop (ajatprop) RUSSIAN [agitatsiya
agitation and propagandy propaganda]
noun propaganda, especially that of a
political (orginally, communist) kind:
"Severe penalties were imposed on anyone suspected of actively spreading agitprop against
the government."

agnostic (agnostik) GREEK [agnostos
unknown, coined by the biologist
T. H. Huxley (1825-95)] noun a person who professes uncertainty about
the existence or nonexistence of God.
-adjective of or relating to agnosticism: "`Oah yes. I have met him several
times at Benares, and also at Buddh Gaya,
to interrogate him on religious points and
devil-worship. He is pure agnostic same
as me"' (Rudyard Kipling, Kim, 1901).

Agnus Dei (agnasee) LATIN [Lamb
of God] noun phrase the Lamb of
God, Jesus Christ; can also refer to
the Christian symbol of the lamb
and flag, representing Christ, or to a
musical setting of a Christian prayer
for peace beginning with these words
that forms a part of the Mass. See ECCE
AGNUS DEI.

agog (ag0T) FRENCH [en gogues in
mirth] adjective eager, enthusiastic,
excited: "They found the stone house
agog with excitement" (Luc), Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea, 1909).
adverb eagerly, enthusiastically,
excitedly.

agora (agora) GREEK [assembly, ageirein to gather] noun (plural agoras
or agorae, agaree) a marketplace or
gathering place.

agoraphobia (agrafobeea, agarafobeea) GREEK [fear of the marketplace,
from agora marketplace and Phobos
fear, coined by German psychologist Carl Westphal in 1871] noun an
irrational fear of open spaces: "Agoraphobia kept the old woman inside her
house for most of the last thirty years of
her life."

ahimsa (ahimsa) SANSKRIT [nonviolence, from a non and himsa violence] noun the doctrine of refraining
from causing harm to any living thing,
as propounded by the Buddhist, Hindu,
and Jain religions.

a huis clos (a wee klo) FRENCH [in a
closed door] adverb phrase in secret,
behind closed doors: "The meeting was
held a huis clos."

aide-de-camp (ayd da kom ),
aid-de-camp FRENCH [assistant of
the camp] noun (plural aides-decamp) an assistant, especially a
military aide: "The general's aide-decamp was ordered to communicate with
the enemy's headquarters." 'abbreviated
form A.D.C.

aide-memoire (ayd memwahr) FRENCH
[memory aid, from aider to aid and
memoire memory] noun (plural aidememoires) something that serves
as a reminder, a means of jogging the
memory, a memorandum: At the end
of the talk the great man checked his aidememoire, a tiny piece of paper, to see if there
was anything he had omitted."

aigrette (aygi, 4gret) FRENCH
[egret's plume] noun a tuft of feathers or spray of gems worn in the hair
or on a hat: "The admirable roundness of
the wrist was well set off by a bracelet which
encircled it, and which also was ornamented
and clasped by a magnficent aigrette of
jewels telling, in words that could not be
mistaken, at once of the wealth and fastidious taste of the wearer." (Edgar Allan Poe,
"The Spectacles," 1844).

aiguille (aygweel, ay wee) FRENCH
[needle] noun a needle-like pinnacle
of rock.

aikido (ikeedo) JAPANESE [mutual
spirit art, from ai together, ki spirit,
and do way] noun Japanese art of
self-defense in which an opponent's
momentum is turned against him.

aileron (iilaron) FRENCH [aile wing]
noun a hinged flap along the trailing edge of an aircraft wing that is
adjusted as the aircraft banks in order
to maintain balance: "Inspection of the
wreckage after the crash revealed that one
of the ailerons was missing."

aloli (iolee) FRENCH [from Provencal
ai garlic and oli oil] noun garlicflavored mayonnaise.

akita (akeeta) JAPANESE [after Akita,
Japan, where the breed originated]
noun a breed of large, powerful dog
of Japanese origin. It was the author
Helen Keller who first introduced the
akita to the United States.

a la (a 15), a la FRENCH [to the, a la
mode de in the manner of] preposition
after the manner of, in the manner
of, in the style of, as done by: "They
were singing and dancing in the rain a la
Gene Kelly."

a la carte (a la kahrt), a la carte
FRENCH [by the menu, by the bill of
fare] adverb phrase from a menu on
which each item is separately priced.
'adjective phrase from a menu on
which each item is separately priced:
`Because it was his birthday, he decided
to treat them both to dishes from the a la
carte menu." -abbreviated form a.l.c.