List of Latin phrases

This page lists English translations of several Latin phrases and abbreviations, such as "i.e." and "et cetera". Some of these are themselves translations of Greek phrases.

D

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;Damnum absque injuria: Damage without injury

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;Decus et Tutamen

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:"An ornament and a safeguard" — enscribed on the edge of the British £1 coin

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;De facto

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:"In fact" — Said of something that actually is the case, in contrast to a legal or official rule or status or version, which is described as de jure. In some contexts de facto refers to the "way things really are" rather than what is "officially" presented as the fact. For example: "Although the emperor held the title and trappings of head of state, the Shogun was the de facto ruler of Japan".

Related Topics:
De jure - Shogun - Japan

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;De gustibus non est disputandum

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:"There is no arguing tastes".

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;De jure

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:"By law".

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;De minimis

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:"About minimal things".

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;De mortuis aut bene aut nihil

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:Speak well of the dead or not at all. (a more literal translation would be "Of the dead, well or not at all.")

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;De mortuis nil nisi bene (dicere)

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:(Say) nothing about the dead but what is good.

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;De novo

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:"Anew".

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;De omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis

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:"I know everything worth knowing, and more". An Italian scholar in the 15th century wrote: "De omni re scibili", which means literally, "of all the things one can know". A wag added: "et quibusdam aliis", meaning "and even several other things".

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;De Oppresso Liber

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:"To Liberate the Oppressed" — US Army Special Forces Motto.

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;De re

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:"About the matter" or "about reality" — in logic, de dicto statements (about the truth of a proposition) are distinguished from de re statements (about the properties of a thing itself).

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;Deus ex machina

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:"A god from a machine" (Greek: ??? ??????? ????, Apo m?chan?s Theos) — a contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by machine an actor playing Zeus onto the stage — as though he were descending from Olympus — to resolve an awkward plot.

Related Topics:
Zeus - Olympus

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;Deus vult!

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:"God wills it" — this slogan was the principal one of the Crusades.

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;Dis aliter visum

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:"The gods decided otherwise".

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;Dies irae

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:"Day of wrath".

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;Disiecti membra poetae

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:"Members of a dismembered poet" i.e., "the scattered remnants of the poet" (Horace, Satires, I, 4, 62), battered poetry.

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;Dis manibus

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:Literally "To the gods of the Manes", loosely "To the memory of"—an inscription commonly preceding the name of the deceased on grave markings.

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;Divide et impera

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:"Divide and rule" (sometimes translated "divide and conquer") — a Roman maxim used by Julius Caesar, Louis XI, and Machiavelli.

Related Topics:
Roman - Julius Caesar - Louis XI - Machiavelli

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;Dominus illuminatio mea

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:"The Lord is my light". — motto of the University of Oxford

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;Dominus Vobiscum

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:"The Lord be with you" — phrase used during and at the end of Catholic sermons; greeting form among and towards members of Catholic organizations (i.e., priests, nuns etc.)

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;Do ut des

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:"I give that you may give" — often said or written by sacrifices. I "give" and I expect something back from the gods.

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;Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

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:"Never tickle a sleeping dragon" — motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter universe

Related Topics:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Harry Potter

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;Dramatis personae

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:"People of the play" — the characters represented in a dramatic work; cast.

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;Duces Tecum

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:"Bring with You" — see subpoena duces tecum.

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;Dulce bellum inexpertis

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:"War may seem sweet to those who have never been involved". A phrase from Erasmus (16th century).

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;Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

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:"It is sweet and honourable to die for one's country", a phrase from an ode by Horace. Used by Wilfred Owen as the title of a poem about World War I, Dulce et Decorum Est.

Related Topics:
Ode - Horace - Wilfred Owen - World War I - Dulce et Decorum Est

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;Dulce et Utile

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:"Sweet and useful".

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;Dum spiro spero

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:"While I breathe, I hope" — motto of South Carolina.

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;Dura lex, sed lex

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:"Law is strict/hard, but it is the law"

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