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Below is an alphabetical list of widely used and repeated proverbial phrases. If known, their origins are noted. A proverbial phrase or expression is a type of conventional saying similar to a proverb and transmitted by oral tradition.
The 18th edition of the dictionary, published in 2009. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, sometimes referred to simply as Brewer's, is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions, and figures, whether historical or mythical.
Used before the anglicized version of a word or name. For example, "Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland". animus in consulendo liber: a mind unfettered in deliberation: Motto of NATO: anno (an.) in the year: Also used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab urbe condita), Anno Domini, and anno regni. anno Domini (A.D.) in the year of our Lord
Used after a term, phrase, or topic that should be looked up elsewhere in the current document, book, etc. For more than one term or phrase, the plural is quae vide (qq.v.). Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite. Whatever He tells you, that you shall do. More colloquially: "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you to do."
Root of the word aboriginal. ab ovo: from the egg: i.e., from the beginning or origin. Derived from the longer phrase in Horace's Satire 1.3: "ab ovo usque ad mala", meaning "from the egg to the apples", referring to how Ancient Roman meals would typically begin with an egg dish and end with fruit (cf. the English phrase soup to nuts).
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below).
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Exempli gratiā is usually abbreviated "e. g." or "e.g." (less commonly, ex. gr.).The abbreviation "e.g." is often interpreted (Anglicised) as 'example given'. The plural exemplōrum gratiā to refer to multiple examples (separated by commas) is now not in frequent use; when used, it may be seen abbreviated as "ee.g." or even "ee.gg.", corresponding to the practice of doubling plurals in Latin ...