LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbfourth conjugation

expediō

expediō (present infinitive expedīre, perfect active expedīvī or expediī, supine expedītum)
Classical[ɛkˈspɛ.di.oː]Ecclesiastical[ekˈspɛː.di.o]

Meaning

  1. to free feet from snares; unfasten fetters; lose the shackles
  2. to loosen restraints, unchain, set free, liberate, release
  3. to explain, relate, narrate
  4. to unwind, untangle, untie, unwrap; disconnect, detach, extricate from entanglements
  5. to remove impediments, clear obstacles; hasten, expedite a process
  6. to make ready; prepare, develop, produce
  7. to carry out, make happen, effect; arrange, settle a matter
  8. to carry forth, bring forward; send out, dispatch, expedite
  9. to procure or obtain
  10. to be profitable, serviceable, advantageous, expedient

In the readers how our graded readers gloss it

Conjugation conjugation 4

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.expediōexpediēbamexpediamexpedīvī
expediī		expedīveram
expedieram		expedīverō
expedierō
2nd sg.expedīsexpediēbāsexpediēsexpedīvistī
expediistī		expedīverās
expedierās		expedīveris
expedieris
3rd sg.expeditexpediēbatexpedietexpedīvit
expediit		expedīverat
expedierat		expedīverit
expedierit
1st pl.expedīmusexpediēbāmusexpediēmusexpedīvimus
expediimus		expedīverāmus
expedierāmus		expedīverimus
expedierimus
2nd pl.expedītisexpediēbātisexpediētisexpedīvistis
expediistis		expedīverātis
expedierātis		expedīveritis
expedieritis
3rd pl.expediuntexpediēbantexpedientexpedīvērunt
expedīvēre, expediērunt, expediēre		expedīverant
expedierant		expedīverint
expedierint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.expediamexpedīremexpedīverim
expedierim		expedīvissem
expediissem
2nd sg.expediāsexpedīrēsexpedīverīs
expedierīs		expedīvissēs
expediissēs, expedīssēs
3rd sg.expediatexpedīretexpedīverit
expedierit		expedīvisset
expediisset, expedīsset
1st pl.expediāmusexpedīrēmusexpedīverīmus
expedierīmus		expedīvissēmus
expediissēmus
2nd pl.expediātisexpedīrētisexpedīverītis
expedierītis		expedīvissētis
expediissētis
3rd pl.expediantexpedīrentexpedīverint
expedierint		expedīvissent
expediissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.expediorexpediēbarexpediar
2nd sg.expedīris
expedīre		expediēbāris
expediēbāre		expediēris
expediēre
3rd sg.expedīturexpediēbāturexpediētur
1st pl.expedīmurexpediēbāmurexpediēmur
2nd pl.expedīminīexpediēbāminīexpediēminī
3rd pl.expediunturexpediēbanturexpedientur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.expediarexpedīrer
2nd sg.expediāris
expediāre		expedīrēris
expedīrēre
3rd sg.expediāturexpedīrētur
1st pl.expediāmurexpedīrēmur
2nd pl.expediāminīexpedīrēminī
3rd pl.expedianturexpedīrentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.expedīexpedīre
pres. 2nd pl.expedīteexpedīminī
fut. 2nd sg.expedītōexpedītor
fut. 3rd sg.expedītōexpedītor
fut. 2nd pl.expedītōte—
fut. 3rd pl.expediuntōexpediuntor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitiveexpedīreexpedīrī
expedīrier
perfect infinitiveexpedīvisse
expediisse		expedītum esse
future infinitiveexpedītūrum esseexpedītum īrī
present participleexpediēns—
perfect participle—expedītus
expedīta, expedītā, expedītae, expedītam, expedītārum, expedītās, expedītī, expedītōrum, expedītōs
future participleexpedītūrus
expedītūra, expedītūrā, expedītūrae, expedītūram, expedītūrārum, expedītūrās, expedītūre, expedītūrī, expedītūrīs, expedītūrō, expedītūrōrum, expedītūrōs, expedītūrum		expediendus
expediundus, expedienda, expediendā, expediendae, expediendam, expediendārum, expediendās, expediende, expediendīs, expediendōrum, expediendōs, expediunda, expediundā, expediundae, expediundam, expediundārum, expediundās, expediunde, expediundī, expediundīs, expediundō, expediundōrum, expediundōs, expediundum
gerundexpediendī, expediendō, expediendumsupineexpedītum, expedītū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

navem expedire
to clear for action.
salutem expedire
to effect a person's deliverance.
arma expedire (Tusc. 2. 16. 37)
to make ready for battle.
expeditus (opp. impeditus) miles
a soldier lightly armed, ready for battle.
expedita et facile currens oratio
an easy, fluent style.
solutum et expeditum esse ad dicendum
to be never at a loss for something to say.
negotium conficere, expedire, transigere
to arrange, settle a matter.
facilem et expeditum esse ad dicendum (Brut. 48. 180)
to be a ready, fluent speaker.

ex-pĕdĭo, īvi or ĭi, ītum, 4 (archaic
I. fut. expedibo, Enn., Pac., Att., and Pompon. ap. Non. 505, 15 sq.; 477, 2; Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 36), v. a. pes, orig., to free the feet, i. e. from a snare; hence, in gen., to extricate, disengage, let loose, set free, liberate any thing entangled, involved (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.; syn.: extrico, enodo, enucleo, explico, expono, interpretor, etc.).
I. Lit.: videte, in quot se laqueos induerit, quorum ex nullo se umquam expediet, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 42, § 102; cf. id. ib. 43, § 106: mortis laqueis caput, Hor. C. 3, 24, 8; cf. also: vix illigatum te triformi Pegasus expediet Chimaera, id. ib. 1, 27, 24: flammam inter et hostes Expedior, make my way through, Verg. A. 2, 633: errantem nemori, Ov. F. 4, 669 et saep.—With inanim. and abstr. objects: aditus expediunt, open a passage, Caes. B. G. 7, 86 fin.: sibi locum, id. B. C. 2, 9, 6: iter fugae per invias rupes, Liv. 38, 2, 14: agrum saxosum lectione lapidum, Col. 2, 2, 12: capillus pectine quotidie expediendus est, disentangled, Fronto de Eloqu. init.—
B. Transf.
1. In gen., to fetch out, bring forward, procure, make ready, prepare any thing folded up, put away, etc.: funes expediunt, Sisenn. ap. Non. 297, 1: vela, Ov. H. 17, 200: hominem nudari et virgas expediri jubet, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 62, § 161: cererem canistris, Verg. A. 1, 702: convivia mediis tectis (famulae), Val. Fl. 2, 341; cf.: cibaria pastoribus, to provide, Varr. R. R. 2, 10, 6: merces suas (institor), Ov. A. A. 1, 422: pecuniam, to procure, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 298, 22; Suet. Caes. 4: arma, to hold in readiness, Caes. B. G. 7, 18 fin.; Tac. A. 2, 79; Verg. A. 4, 592: tela equosque, Liv. 38, 25, 14: ferrum, id. 24, 26, 10: naves, Caes. B. C. 2, 4 fin.: vineas in occulto, id. B. G 7, 27, 2: copias, Tac. A. 13, 7: se celeriter (Galli equites), Caes. B. C. 1, 51, 4: se, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 52; Liv. 38, 21, 2; cf. mid.: exercitum expediri ad bellum jubet, Tac. H. 2, 99. —
2. to send away, despatch (poet.): me ex suis locis pulcre ornatum expedivit, Plaut. Rud. 4, 2, 3: saepe disco, Saepe trans finem jaculo nobilis expedito, despatched, i. e. hurled, Hor. C. 1, 8, 12.—
3. Absol., for expedire se, to arm one's self for battle (only in Tac.), Tac. H. 1, 10: multos secum expedire jubet, id. ib. 1, 88; 2, 99.
II. Trop., to bring out, extricate, release, free from any evil, obstacle, etc.: impeditum animum, Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 17; cf.: sapientis est, cum stultitiā suā impeditus sit, quoquo modo possit, se expedire, Cic. Rab. Post. 9, 24: haererem, nisi tu me expedisses, id. Pis. 30, 74: ex servitute filium, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 94; cf.: se ex turba, Ter. Ad. 4, 4, 5: se ab omni occupatione, Cic. Att. 3, 20, 2: aliquem omni molestiā, id. ib. 2, 25, 2; so, se aerumnis, Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 8: se crimine, id. ib. 5, 1, 28: se cura, id. Phorm. 5, 4, 4: civitatem malis obsidionalibus, Amm. 16, 4, 3: amor Lycisci me tenet, Unde expedire non queant amicorum consilia, Hor. Epod. 11, 25: curae sagaces Expediunt (Claudiae manus) per acuta belli, bring or help through, id. C. 4, 4, 76; cf.: per quot discrimina rerum Expedior? escape, Val. Fl. 1, 217: me multa impediverunt quae ne nunc quidem expedita sunt, Cic. Fam. 14, 19: si vita nostra in aliquas insidias incidisset, omnis honesta ratio esset expediendae salutis, of obtaining safety, id. Mil. 4, 10.—
B. Transf.
1. To put in order, arrange, set right: cum Antonio loquare velim, et rem, ut poteris, expedias, Cic. Att. 11, 18, 2: expedire et conficere res, id. Brut. 42, 154: rem frumentariam, Caes. B. G. 7, 36, 1; id. B. C. 1, 54 fin.: negotia (with explicare), Cic. Fam. 13, 26, 2; cf. id. ib. 1, 3, 1: nomina mea, per deos, expedi, exsolve, settle, pay, id. Att. 16, 6, 3: nomen, id. ib. 13, 29, 3: Faberianum, id. ib. 12, 29, 2; cf. in a pun respecting a scholar unable to pay his debts: omnes solvere posse quaestiones, Unum difficile expedire nomen, Bibacul. ap. Suet. Gram. 11: quemadmodum expediam exitum hujus institutae orationis, non reperio, settle, arrange, Cic. Fam. 3, 12, 2; cf.: expediri quae restant vix poterunt. si hoc relinqueris, id. Rep. 1, 35, 55: consilia sua, Tac. H. 3, 73: docte hanc fallaciam, put into operation, Plaut. Capt. prol. 40.—
2. Of speech, to disclose, unfold, explain, relate, narrate (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; not in Cic., Cæs., or Quint.): qui tu misera's? mi expedi, Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 50 (639 Ritschl): id ego aequum ac jus fecisse expedibo atque eloquar, will show, Enn. ap. Non. 505, 19; Pac., Att., Pompon. ib. 15 sq.: agedum, hoc mihi expedi, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 27: altius omnem Expediam prima repetens ab origine famam, Verg. G. 4, 286: pauca tibi e multis ... expediam dictis, id. A. 3, 379: priusquam hujuscemodi rei initium expedio, Sall. J. 5, 2: nunc originem, mores, et quo facinore dominationem raptum ierit, expediam, Tac. A. 4, 1: me non tantum praevisa, sed subita expedire docuisti, id. ib. 14, 55: ea de caede quam verissime expediam, id. H. 4, 48: promptius expediam quot, etc., i. e. it will take me a shorter time to recount, Juv. 10, 220.—
3. Reflex. of events, to develop, run their course, proceed: amoris arteis eloquar quem ad modum se expediant, Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 10; cf.: ut res vostrorum omnium bene expedire voltis, to make favorable progress, id. Am. prol. 5 (Lorenz ad Plaut. Trin. 2, 36; but Ussing reads me expedire, benefit me).—
4. Absol., res expedit, or impers., expedit (alicui—lit., it helps out, furthers, promotes; hence), it is serviceable, profitable, advantageous, useful, expedient (class.): nequiter paene expedivit prima parasitatio, Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 23: non igitur faciat, dixerit quis, quod utile sit, quod expediat? Immo intelligat, nihil nec expedire nec utile esse, quod sit injustum, Cic. Off. 3, 19, 76; cf.: quid intersit sua, quid expediat, id. Agr. 2, 25, 66: ex utilitatis varietatibus, cum aliis aliud expediat, nasci discordias, id. Rep. 1, 32; cf.: ut non idem expediret, incidere saepe, id. Lael. 10, 33: quidquam Caesari ad diuturnitatem victoriae et dominationis, id. Att. 7, 22, 1: non idem ipsis expedire et multitudini, Nep. Milt. 3, 5 al.—With an inf. clause as subject: expedit bonas esse vobis, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 8; cf.: omnibus bonis expedit salvam esse rem publicam, Cic. Phil. 13, 8, 16: cui (reo) damnari expediret, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 3 fin.: cum eam (pecuniam) in praediis collocari maxime expediret, id. Caecin. 6, 16: ubi vinci necesse est, expedit cedere, Quint. 6, 4, 16; Hor. C. 2, 8, 9 et saep.—With subj. clause as subject after ut or ne (post-class.): expedire omnibus dicunt, ut singulae civitates suas leges habeant, Just. 34, 1, 7 Benecke ad loc.: expedit rei publicae, ne sua re quis male utatur, Just. Inst. 1, 8, 2: neque expedire ut ambitione aliena trahatur, Tac. A. 3, 69.—Absol.: tu si ita expedit, velim quamprimum conscendas, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 2, 4: sic magis expedit, Quint. 4, 2, 67: ut expediat causae, id. 7, 3, 18.—Hence, ex-pĕdītus, a, um, P. a., unimpeded, unincumbered, disengaged, free, easy, ready, at hand.
A. Of persons: cum ceteris quae habebat vadimonia differt, ut expeditus in Galliam proficisci posset, Cic. Quint. 6, 23: inermos armati, impeditos expediti interficiunt, i. e. without baggage, Sisenn. ap. Non. 58, 8; cf.: eo circiter hominum numero XVI. milia expedita cum omni equitatu Ariovistus misit, Caes. B. G. 1, 49, 3: legiones expeditae, id. B. C. 1, 42, 1; so of soldiers without baggage, id. ib. 2, 19, 2; 6, 25, 1; 1, 27 fin. et saep.—As subst.: expĕdī-tus, i, m., a soldier lightly burdened, a swiftly marching soldier: latitudo (silvae) novem dierum iter expedito patet, Caes. B. G. 6, 25, 1: obviam fit ei Clodius expeditus in equo, Cic. Mil. 10, 28; cf. Sagana, tucked up, Hor. Epod. 5, 25: expedito nobis homine et parato opus est, ready, at hand, prompt, Cic. Phil. 11, 10, 26; cf.: expeditus ad caedem, id. Agr. 2, 30, 82: ad pronuntiandum, id. de Or. 2, 30, 131; cf.: facilis et expeditus ad dicendum, id. Brut. 48 fin.—
B. Of inanim. or abstr. things, convenient, at hand: iis expedito loco actuaria navigia relinquit, commodious, Caes. B. C. 1, 27; cf.: via expeditior ad honores, Cic. Fl. 41, 104: reditum in caelum patere optimo et justissimo cuique expeditissimum, id. Lael. 4, 13: pecunia expeditissima quae erat, tibi decreta est, the readiest, the nearest at hand, id. Fam. 11, 24, 2; cf. rationes, id. ib. 10, 25, 2: cena (with parca), Plin. Ep. 3, 12, 1: expeditissimum unguentorum, Plin. 13, 1, 2, § 8: probabili expedito, soluto, libero, nullā re implicato, Cic. Ac. 2, 33, 105: expedita erat et perfacile currens oratio, id. Brut. 63, 227; cf.: expedita ac profluens dicendi celeritas, id. ib. 61, 220: inops ad ornandum, sed ad inveniendum expedita Hermagorae disciplina, id. ib. 76, 263: prope jam expeditam Caesaris victoriam interpellaverunt, achieved, Caes. B. C. 3, 70 fin. —
b. In the neutr. absol.: in expedito esse, habere, etc., to be or have in readiness or at hand: quaedam sunt quidem in animo, sed parum prompta: quae incipiunt in expedito esse, quum dicta sunt, Sen. Ep. 94 med.; cf.: promptum hoc et in expedito positum, Quint. 10, 7, 24: in expedito haberent integras copias ad opem ferendam, ready for action, Liv. 36, 16, 10.—Hence, adv.: ex-pĕdīte, without impediment, without difficulty, readily, promptly, quickly: in iis rebus celeriter expediteque percipiendis, quae, etc., Cic. Fin. 5, 12 fin.: expedite explicans quod proposuerat, id. Brut. 67, 237: fabulatu's, Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 63: loqui, Suet. Aug. 89.—Comp.: non implicite et abscondite, sed patentius et expeditius, Cic. Inv 2, 23, 69: navigare, id. Att. 6, 8, 4: fit putatio, Col. Arb. 11, 1.—Sup.: ex quo te, quocumque opus erit, facillime et expeditissime conferas, Cic. Fam. 6, 20, 2.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰ
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰs
  3. Proto-Italic*eks
  4. Latinexpediō

Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *ped- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *pṓds Proto-Italic *pets Latin pēs, pedis Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin expediō From ex- (“out of”) + pēs, pedis (“feet”) + -iō.

Descendants
  • Italianspedire
  • Portuguesedespir
  • Englishexpedite
  • Frenchexpédier
  • Portugueseexpedir
  • Spanishexpedir
  • Galicianespir
  • Sicilianspidiri
  • Venetanspedir
  • Albanianshpëtojfrom Vulgar Latin *expedītāre

In English words that came into English from expediō

  • expeditionexpeditio
  • expedientexpediens
  • expediteexpedītus
  • expeditiousexpedītus
  • expedienceexpedientia

Quick answers

What does expediō mean in Latin?
expediō, a verb, means “to free feet from snares; unfasten fetters; lose the shackles”.
What are the principal parts of expediō?
expediō, expedīre, expedīvī, expedītum (fourth conjugation).
How do you pronounce expediō?
In classical Latin, [ɛkˈspɛ.di.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ekˈspɛː.di.o].
Where does expediō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ → Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs → Proto-Italic *eks → Latin expediō.
Which English words come from expediō?
English words that go back to Latin expediō include expedient, expedience, expedition, expedite and expeditious.