NOVEMBER 20, 2016

FOREIGN WORDS
222 MOST POPULAR PHRASES AND THEIR MEANINGS

COMPILED BY: ELITES GRID

EDUCATING SOLUTIONS
www.elitesgrid.com
FOREIGN WORDS
TABLE CONTAING THE 222 MOST COMMON PHRASES AND THEIR MEANINGS

PHRASES MEANINGS
a cappella Italian sung without instrumental accompaniment
(literally ‘in chapel style’)
à deux French for or involving two people
a for ori La n more conclusively (literally ‘from a stronger
[argument]’)
à huis clos French in private (literally ‘with closed doors’)
A mensa et thoro From bed and board.
a posteriori La n based on reasoning from known facts or past
events rather than on assump ons or predic ons
(literally ‘from what comes a er’)
a priori La n based on deduc on rather than experience
(literally ‘from what is before’)
A vinculo matrimonii From the bond of matrimony.
Ab extra From outside.
Ab ini o From the beginning.
Absoluta senten a An absolute judgment needs no expositor.
expositore non
indiget
Abundans cautela Abundant cau on does no harm.
non nocet
Accessorium non An accessory does not draw, but follows its
ducit sed sequitur principal.
suum principale
Accessorius sequitur One who is an accessory to the crime cannot be
guilty of a more serious crime than the principal
offender.

Foreign Words 1
 Acta exteriora Outward acts indicate the inward intent.
iudicant interiora
secreta
Ac o non accrevit The ac on has not accrued within six years.
infra sex annos
Ac o non datur non An ac on is not given to one who is not injured.
damnificato
Ac o personalis A personal ac on dies with the person.
moritur cum persona
Ac ones legis Law suits.
Actori incumbit onus The burden of proof lies on the plain ff.
probandi
Actus nemini facit The act of the law does no one wrong.
injuriam
Actus non facit reum The act does not make one guilty unless there be a
nisi mens sit rea criminal intent.
Actus reus A guilty deed or act.
Ad ea quae The laws are adapted to those cases which occur
frequen us acciduunt more frequently.
jura adaptantur
ad hoc La n made or done for a par cular purpose (literally
‘to this’)
Ad hoc For this purpose.
ad infinitum La n endlessly; forever (literally ‘to infinity’)
Ad infinitum Forever, without limit, to infinity.
ad interim La n for the mean me
ad nauseam La n to a resomely excessive degree (literally ‘to
sickness’)
Ad perpetuam rei For a perpetual memorial of the ma er.
memoriam

Foreign Words 2
 Ad quaes onem fac The judges do not answer to a ques on of fact; the
non respondent jury do not answer to a ques on of Law.
judices
Aequitas legem Equity follows the law.
sequitur
Aequitas nunquam Equity never contradicts the law.
contravenit legem
agent provocateur French a person who tempts a suspected criminal to
commit a crime so that they can be caught and
convicted (literally ‘provoca ve agent’)
al dente Italian (of food) cooked so as to be s ll firm when
bi en (literally ‘to the tooth’)
alfresco Italian in the open air (literally ‘in the fresh’)
Alibi At another place, elsewhere.
Aliena o rei Aliena on is preferred by law rather than
praefertur juri accumula on.
accrescendi
Aliunde From elsewhere, or, from a different source
Allegans contraria One making contradictory statements is not to be
non est audiendus heard.
Allegans suam One alleging his own infamy is not to be heard.
turpitudinem non est
audiendus
Allega o contra An allega on contrary to a deed is not to be heard.
factum non est
admi enda
Ambiguitas contra An ambiguity is most strongly construed against the
s pulatorem est party using it.
Ambiguitas verborum A patent ambiguity is never helped by averment.
patens nulla
verifica one
excluditur
Amicus curiae A friend of the Court.
Foreign Words 3
 amour propre French self-respect (literally ‘own love’)
Angliae jura in omni The laws of England are favorable in every case to
casu liberta dant liberty.
favorem
Animo furandi With an inten on of stealing.
Animo testandi With an inten on of making a will.
Annus luctus The year of mourning.
annus mirabilis La n a remarkable or auspicious year
Ante Before.
Aqua currit et debet Water runs and ought to run.
currere, ut currere
solebat
Arbitrium est An award is a judgment.
judicium
Arbor dum crescit; A tree while it grows, wood when it cannot grow.
lignum cum crescere
nescit
Argumentum ab An argument drawn from authority is the strongest
auctoritate in law.
for ssimum est in
lege
Argumentum ab An argument from impossibility is very strong in law.
impossibilii plurimum
valet in lege
Argumentum ad An argument directed by the person.
hominem
Argumentum ad An argument based upon ignorance (i.e. of one’s
ignora am adversary).
Arma in armatos The laws permit the taking up of arms against the
sumere jura sinunt armed.
Assen o men um The mee ng of minds, i.e. mutual assent.

Foreign Words 4
 Assignatus u tur jure An assignee is clothed with rights of his assignor.
auctoris
au courant French well informed; up to date (literally ‘in the
(regular) course’)
au fait French having a good or detailed knowledge (literally
‘to the point’)
au fond French basically; in essence (literally ‘at the bo om’)
au naturel French in the most simple or natural way
Audi alteram partem Hear the other side.
Aula regis The King’s Court.
beau geste French a noble and generous act (literally ‘fine
gesture’)
beau idéal French the highest standard of excellence (literally
‘ideal beauty’)
beau monde French fashionable society (literally ‘fine world’)
beaux arts French the fine arts
belles-le res French literary works wri en and read for their
elegant style (literally ‘fine le ers’)
bête noire French a person or thing one par cularly dislikes
(literally ‘black beast’)
billet-doux French a love le er (literally ‘sweet note’)
blitzkrieg German an intense, violent military campaign
intended to bring about a swi victory (literally
‘lightning war’)
bon mot French a clever or wi y remark (literally ‘good
word’)
bon vivant French a person with a sociable and luxurious
lifestyle (literally ‘person living well’)
bona fide La n genuine; real (literally ‘with good faith’)
brasserie French an informal or inexpensive restaurant
(literally ‘brewery’)

Foreign Words 5
 c’est la guerre French used as an expression of resigned acceptance
(literally ‘that's war’)
carpe diem La n make the most of the present me (literally
‘seize the day!’)
carte blanche French complete freedom to act as one wishes
(literally ‘blank paper’)
cause célèbre French a controversial issue a rac ng much public
a en on (literally ‘famous case’)
caveat emptor La n the buyer is responsible for checking the
quality of goods before purchasing them (literally
‘let the buyer beware’)
chacun à son gout French everyone to their own taste
chef-d’œuvre French a masterpiece (literally ‘chief work’)
cherchez la femme French there is certain to be a woman at the bo om
of a problem or mystery (literally ‘look for the
woman’)
cognoscen Italian people who are well informed about
something (literally ‘people who know’)
comme il faut French correct in behavior or e que e (literally ‘as is
necessary’)
compos men s La n sane; in full control of one's mind
cordon sanitaire French a guarded line placed around an area
infected by disease to prevent anyone from leaving
(literally ‘sanitary line’)
Cosa Nostra Italian a US criminal organiza on related to the
Mafia (literally ‘our thing’)
coup d’état French a sudden violent seizure of power (literally
‘blow of state’)
coup de foudre French love at first sight (literally ‘stroke of
lightning’)
coup de grâce French a blow by which a mortally wounded person
or thing is mercifully killed (literally ‘stroke of grace’)

Foreign Words 6
 coup de main French a sudden surprise a ack (literally ‘stroke of
hand’)
cri de cœur French a passionate appeal or protest (literally ‘cry
from the heart’)
cui bono? La n who stands to gain? (Implying that whoever
does may have been responsible for a crime; literally
‘to whom (is it) a benefit?’)
de facto La n in fact, whether by right or not
de jure La n righ ul; by right (literally ‘of law’)
de nos jours French contemporary (literally ‘of our days’)
de profundis La n expressing one's deepest feelings (literally
‘from the depths’)
de rigueur French obligatory; required by e que e or current
fashion (literally ‘of strictness’)
de trop French not wanted; superfluous (literally ‘excessive’)
Dei gra a La n by the grace of God
déjà vu French the sense of having experienced the present
situa on before (literally ‘already seen’)
Deo gra as La n thanks be to God
Deo volente La n God willing
dernier cri French the very latest fashion (literally ‘the last cry’)
deus ex machina La n an unexpected event that saves an apparently
hopeless situa on (literally ‘god from the
machinery’)
dolce far niente Italian pleasant idleness (literally ‘sweet doing
nothing’)
dolce vita Italian a life of pleasure and luxury (literally ‘sweet
life’)
doppelgänger German an appari on or double of a living person
(literally ‘double-goer’)

Foreign Words 7
 double entendre French a word or phrase with two possible
interpreta ons (from obsolete French, ‘double
understanding’)
drama s personae La n the characters in a play (literally ‘persons of the
drama’)
embarras de richesse French more op ons or resources than one knows
what to do with (literally ‘embarrassment of riches’)
éminence grise French a person who has power or influence without
holding an official posi on (literally ‘grey eminence’)
en famille French with one's family; in an informal way (literally
‘in family’)
en masse French all together (literally ‘in a mass’)
en passant French by the way (literally ‘in passing’)
enfant terrible French a person whose behavior is unconven onal
or controversial (literally ‘terrible child’)
entente cordiale French a friendly understanding between states
entre nous French between ourselves
esprit de corps French a feeling of pride and loyalty uni ng the
members of a group (literally ‘spirit of body’)
ex gra a La n (of payment) given as a favour rather than
because of any legal obliga on (literally ‘from
favour’)
ex officio La n by virtue of one's posi on or status (literally
‘out of duty’)
fait accompli French a thing that has been done or decided and
cannot now be altered (literally ‘accomplished fact’)
faute de mieux French for want of a be er alterna ve
faux pas French an embarrassing blunder or indiscre on
(literally ‘false step’)
femme fatale French a seduc ve woman (literally ‘disastrous
woman’)

Foreign Words 8
 fête champêtre French an outdoor entertainment; a garden party
(literally ‘rural fes val’)
fin de siècle French rela ng to the end of a century
folie de grandeur French delusions of grandeur
force majeure French superior strength
gîte French a small furnished holiday house in France
grande dame French a woman who is influen al within a
par cular sphere (literally ‘grand lady’)
haut monde French fashionable society (literally ‘high world’)
haute couture French the designing and making of clothes by
leading fashion houses (literally ‘high dressmaking’)
haute cuisine French high-quality cooking (literally ‘high cookery’)
hors de combat French out of ac on due to injury or damage
(literally ‘out of the fight’)
ideé fixe French an obsession (literally ‘fixed idea’)
in absen a La n while not present (literally ‘in absence’)
in camera La n in private (literally ‘in the chamber’)
in extremis La n in an extremely difficult situa on; at the point
of death
in loco paren s La n in the place of a parent
in medias res La n in or into the middle of things
in propria persona La n: in his or her own person
in situ La n in the original or appropriate posi on
in toto La n as a whole
inter alia La n among other things
ipso facto La n by that very fact or act
je ne sais quoi French a quality that is hard to describe (literally ‘I
do not know what’)

Foreign Words 9
 jeu d’esprit French a light-hearted display of wit (literally ‘game
of the mind’)
jeunesse dorée French wealthy, fashionable young people (literally
‘gilded youth’)
joie de vivre French exuberant enjoyment of life (literally ‘joy of
living’)
katzenjammer German a hangover or a severe headache
accompanying a hangover (literally ‘cats’ wailing’)
laissez-faire French a non-interven onist policy (literally ‘allow to
do’)
locum tenens La n a temporary deputy or stand-in (literally ‘one
holding a place’)
locus classicus La n the best known or most authorita ve passage
on a subject (literally ‘classical place’)
magnum opus La n the most important work of an ar st, writer,
etc. (literally ‘great work’)
manqué French having failed to become what one might
have been (from manquer ‘to lack’)
mea culpa La n an acknowledgement that something is one's
fault (literally ‘by my fault’)
memento mori La n something kept as a reminder that death is
inevitable (literally ‘remember (that you have) to
die’)
ménage à trois French an arrangement in which a married couple
and the lover of one of them live together (literally
‘household of three’)
modus operandi La n a way of doing something (literally ‘way of
opera ng’)
modus vivendi La n an arrangement that allows conflic ng par es
to coexist peacefully (literally ‘way of living’)
mot juste French the most appropriate word or expression

Foreign Words 10
 ne plus ultra La n the best example of something (literally ‘not
further beyond’)
nil desperandum La n do not despair
noblesse oblige French privilege entails responsibility
nolens volens La n whether one wants or likes something or not
(literally ‘not willing, willing’)
non sequitur La n a conclusion or statement that does not
logically follow from the previous statement (literally
‘it does not follow’)
nouveau riche French people who have recently become rich and
who display their wealth ostenta ously (literally
‘new rich’)
objet d’art French a small decora ve or ar s c object
on dit French a piece of gossip (literally ‘they say’)
papabile Italian worthy or eligible to be elected pope
par excellence French be er or more than all others of the same
kind (literally ‘by excellence’)
par pris French a preconceived view; a bias (literally ‘side
taken’)
per annum La n for each year
per capita La n for each person (literally ‘by heads’)
per se La n by or in itself or themselves
persona non grata La n a person who is not welcome somewhere
pièce de résistance French the most important or impressive item
(literally ‘piece (i.e. means) of resistance’)
pied-à-terre French a small flat or house kept for occasional use
(literally ‘foot to earth’)
pis aller French a last resort (literally ‘worse to go’)
plat du jour French a special dish prepared by a restaurant on a
par cular day (literally ‘dish of the day’)

Foreign Words 11
 plus ça change French used to express resigned acknowledgement
of the fact that certain things never change
(from plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose ‘the
more it changes, the more it stays the same’)
pococurante Italian careless or nonchalant (literally ‘li le caring’)
prima facie La n accepted as so un l proved otherwise (literally
‘at first face’)
primus inter pares La n the senior or representa ve member of a
group (literally ‘first among equals’)
pro rata La n propor onal; propor onally (literally
‘according to the rate’)
proxime accessit La n the person who comes second in an
examina on or is runner-up for an award (literally
‘came very near’)
quid pro quo La n a favour or advantage given in return for
something (literally ‘something for something’)
raison d’être French the most important reason for someone or
something's existence (literally ‘reason for being’)
reduc o ad absurdum La n a method of disproving a premise by showing
that its logical conclusion is absurd (literally
‘reduc on to the absurd’)
roman-à-clef French a novel in which real people or events appear
with invented names (literally ‘novel with a key’)
sangfroid French the ability to stay calm in difficult
circumstances (literally ‘cold blood’)
savoir faire French the ability to act appropriately in social
situa ons (literally ‘know how to do’)
sine die La n (of proceedings) adjourned indefinitely
(literally ‘without a day’)
sine qua non La n a thing that is absolutely essen al (literally
‘without which not’)
soi-disant French self-styled; so-called (literally ‘self-saying’)

Foreign Words 12
 so o voce Italian in a quiet voice (literally ‘under voice’)
sub judice La n being considered by a court of law and
therefore not to be publicly discussed elsewhere
(literally ‘under a judge’)
sub rosa La n happening or done in secret (literally ‘under
the rose’)
sui generis La n unique (literally ‘of its own kind’)
table d’hôte French a restaurant meal offered at a fixed price,
with few if any choices (literally ‘host's table’)
tant mieux French so much the be er
tant pis French so much the worse; too bad
terra firma La n dry land; the ground (literally ‘firm land’)
terra incognita La n unknown territory
tête-à-tête French a private conversa on (literally ‘head-to-
head’)
tour de force French a thing accomplished with great skill (literally
‘feat of strength’)
tout de suite French at once (literally ‘quite in sequence’)
unheimlich German uncanny or weird
verboten German forbidden
via media La n a compromise (literally ‘middle way’)
victor ludorum La n the overall champion in a sports compe on
(literally ‘victor of the games’)
vis-à-vis French in rela on to; as compared with (literally
‘face-to-face’)
vox populi La n public opinion (literally ‘the voice of the
people’)
zeitgeist German the characteris c spirit or mood of a
par cular historical period (literally ‘ me spirit’)

Foreign Words 13