noun · neutersecond declension
verbum1
verbum n (genitive verbī)
Classical[ˈwɛr.bũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛr.bum]
№ 188 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- neuterword
Rēs, nōn verba.
actions speak louder than wordsverba movent īram nōn circumspectā deōrum:
Words, without having been considered, excite the anger of the gods: “There is no wild beast,” [Orion] said, “such as I am unable to defeat!” (See: Orion (mythology).)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 5.539–540 - neuterproverb, saying
- neuterverb
- in pluralneuterlanguage, discourse, expressions
- in pluralneuter(mere) words, (empty) words, (figuratively) falsehoods, deceptions, lies
verba dō
to trick, deceiveDĀVUS: Sed sī quid tibi nārrāre occēpī, continuō darī / tibi verba cēnsēs.
DAVUS: But if I’ve begun to tell you anything, you immediately think that lies are being given to you. (In other words, idiomatically, “you think you’re being lied to or somehow deceived”.)166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 504–505
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quod dīcimus; verba iūncta sententiam faciunt.verbum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Schola
word
verbum -ī — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 5
a word
verbum — in Seneca, ch. XVII
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Verbum · Vocabulum · Vox · Dictum · Dicterium
1. Verbum (ἄραβος) is a word, as a part of speech; whereas vocabulum, as a part of language. The verba are verbs, the vocabula words in general. 2. Verba denote words in general, with reference to their meaning; voces, with reference to their form and their sound. 3. As a grammatical term, vox comprehends all the eight parts of speech; vocabulum, all legitimate words, consequently with the exclusion of interjections or natural sounds; nomen, only the nouns, adjectives, substantives, and pronouns; and verbum, only the verbs. 4. Verbum, in a collective sense, denotes a general notion, that which is said; whereas vox, dictum, and dicterium, are particular expressions; vox (ἠχή), an expression of feeling or passion, like an exclamation; dictum, an expression of wit or intellect, like a bon mot. Tac. Hist. iii. 39. Audita est sævissima Vitellii vox, qua se pavisse oculos spectata inimici morte jactavit; comp. with Ann. vi. 20. Scitum Passieni dictum percrebuit, neque meliorem unquam servum neque deteriorem dominum fuisse. 5. Dictum is the general and popular expression for any pointed saying; dicterium, a select term of later times for a particularly smart dictum, which is not merely the product of natural wit, but also of cultivation refined by literature and intercourse with polished society. (iv. 29.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | verbum | verba |
| genitive | verbī | verbōrum |
| dative | verbō | verbīs |
| accusative | verbum | verba |
| ablative | verbō | verbīs |
| vocative | verbum | verba |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- verba composita
- well-arranged words.
- inopia verborum
- poverty of expression.
- si verba spectas
- literally.
- multa verba facere
- to go deeply into a matter, discuss it fully.
- verborum immutatio
- a trope; metonymy.
- perpetuitas verborum
- the connection.
- verborum concertatio
- an altercation, debate.
- verborum contumeliae
- insulting expressions.
52 more phrases
- tribus verbis te volo
- a word with you.
- rebus verba respondent
- the circumstances are described in language worthy of them.
- inanis verborum sonitus
- mere words; empty sound.
- inanium verborum flumen
- senseless rant.
- omnia verba huc redeunt
- all this means to say.
- copia, ubertas verborum
- profusion of words.
- ut Ciceronis verbis utar
- to use Cicero's expression; to say with Cicero (not ut cum Cicerone loquar).
- verbum e verbo exprimere
- to translate literally, word for word (not verbo tenus).
- verbum pro verbo reddere
- to translate literally, word for word (not verbo tenus).
- verbum ex aliquo elicere
- to extract a word from some one.
- supplicibus verbis orare
- to crave humbly; to supplicate.
- totidem verbis transferre
- to translate literally, word for word (not verbo tenus).
- quae est vis huius verbi?
- what is the meaning, the original sense of this word?
- ornatus orationis, verborum
- well-chosen language, grace of style.
- ordo verborum (Or. 63. 214)
- the order of words.
- voces (verba) contumeliosae
- insulting expressions.
- originem verbi repetere a...
- to derive a word from... (used of an etymologist).
- vis et notio verbi, vocabuli
- the fundamental meaning of a word.
- nullum (omnino) verbum facere
- to not say a word.
- verba parere, fingere, facere
- to invent, form words.
- verbum ductum esse a...putare
- to derive a word from... (used of an etymologist).
- verborum aucupium or captatio
- minute, pedantic carping at words.
verbum, i (
I. gen. plur. verbūm, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 1; id. Bacch. 4, 8, 37; id. Truc. 2, 8, 14), n. from the root er; Gr. ΕΡω, whence εἴρω and ῥῆμα, what is spoken or said; cf. Goth. vaurd; Germ. Wort; Engl. word, a word; plur., words, expressions, language, discourse, conversation, etc. (cf.: vox, vocabulum).
I. In gen.:
verbum nullum fecit, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 58: si ullum verbum faxo, id. Men. 1, 2, 47: qui verbum numquam in publico fecerunt, Cic. Brut. 78, 270; so, facere, to talk, chat, discourse, converse, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 65, § 147; id. Imp. Pomp. 10, 27; id. Planc. 8, 20 al.: spissum istud amanti est verbum veniet, nisi venit, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 77; cf. id. Most. 5, 1, 2: videtis hoc uno verbo unde significari res duas et ex quo et a quo loco, Cic. Caecin. 30, 88: verbum voluptatis, id. Fin. 2, 23, 75 (for which: vox voluptatis, id. ib. 2, 2, 6); cf.: libenter verbo utor Catonis (i. e. origines), id. Rep. 2, 1, 3: verbum usitatius et tritius, id. Ac. 1, 7, 27: verbum scribere ... verbi litterae, id. de Or. 2, 30, 130: nec vero ullum (verbum) aut durum aut insolens, aut humile aut longius ductum, etc., id. Brut. 79, 274: si pudor, si modestia, si pudicitia, si uno verbo temperantia (literally, in one word; cf. B. 2. infra), id. Fin. 2, 22, 73.—Plur.: verba rebus impressit, Cic. Rep. 3, 2, 3: in quo etiam verbis ac nominibus ipsis fuit diligens (Servius Tullius), id. ib. 2, 22, 40: quid verbis opu'st? Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 289: haec plurimis a me verbis dicta sunt, Cic. Rep. 1, 7, 12: verba facere, to speak, Caes. B. G. 2, 14: contumelia verborum, insulting or abusive language, id. ib. 5, 58: ut verbis, quid sit, definiam, Cic. Rep. 1, 24, 38: verba ponenda sunt, quae vim habeant illustrandi, nec ab usu sint abhorrentia, grandia, plena, sonantia, etc., id. Part. Or. 15, 53: dialecticorum verba nulla sunt publica: suis utuntur, id. Ac. 1, 7, 25: verborum delectum originem esse eloquentiae, id. Brut. 72, 253 et saep.: multis verbis ultro citroque habitis ille nobis est consumptus dies, much talk on both sides, id. Rep. 6, 9, 9; cf. id. ib. 3, 4, 7: accusabat Canutius Scamandrum verbis tribus, venenum esse deprehensum (literally, in three words; cf. B. 2. b. infra), Cic. Clu. 18, 50.—Prov.: verba facit emortuo, he talks to the dead, i. e. in vain, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 18; for which: verba fiunt mortuo, Ter. Phorm. 5, 8 (9), 26.—B. Adverbial phrases.
1. Ad verbum, verbum e (de, pro), verbo, or simply verbum verbo, to a word, word for word, exactly, literally (Cic. uses verbum e or ex verbo where the exact equivalent of a single word is given; verbum pro verbo of the literal translation of a passage; v. infra):
fabellae Latinae ad verbum de Graecis expressae, Cic. Fin. 1, 2, 4; cf. Suet. Caes. 30 fin.: ediscere ad verbum, Cic. de Or. 1, 34, 157: ea quae modo expressa ad verbum dixi, id. Tusc. 3, 19, 44: somnium mirifice ad verbum cum re convenit, id. Div. 1, 44, 99: quae Graeci πάθη appellant: ego poteram morbos, et id verbum esset e verbo, id. Tusc. 3, 4, 7: istam κατάληψιν, quam, ut dixi, verbum e verbo exprimentes, comprehensionem dicemus, id. Ac. 2, 10, 31; id. Fin. 3, 4, 15; id. Top. 8, 35; id. Ac. 2, 6, 17: verbum de verbo expressum extulit, Ter. Ad. prol. 11: verbum pro verbo reddere, Cic. Opt. Gen. 5, 14: nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres, Hor. A. P. 133; cf.: ea sine scripto eisdem verbis reddebat, quibus cogitaverat, Cic. Brut. 88, 301.—2. Verbi causā or gratiā, for the sake of example, for example, for instance:
si quis, verbi causā, oriente Caniculā natus est, Cic. Fat. 6, 12: M. Quid dicis igitur! A. Miserum esse verbi causā M. Crassum, id. Tusc. 1, 4, 12; id. Mil. 22, 60: qui verbi causā post mortem amici liberos ejus custodiant, Auct. Her. 4, 47, 60: ut propter aliam quampiam rem, verbi gratiā propter voluptatem, nos amemus, Cic. Fin. 5, 11, 30.—3. Uno verbo, or tribus verbis, or paucis verbis, in one word, in a word, briefly.
a. Quin tu uno verbo dic, quid est quod me velis, Ter. And. 1, 1, 18; Cato, R. R. 157, 7:
praetores, praetorios, tribunos plebis, magnam partem senatūs, omnem subolem juventutis unoque verbo rem publicam expulsam atque extirminatam suis sedibus, Cic. Phil. 2, 22, 54.—b. Pa. Brevin' an longinquo sermoni? Mi. Tribus verbis, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 30:
pax, te tribus verbis volo, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 121.—c. Sed paucis verbis te volo, Plaut. Mil. 2, 4, 22; cf.:
verbis paucis quam cito Alium fecisti me, id. Trin. 1, 2, 123; cf. also paucus, II. B.—4. Verbo.
a. Orally, by word of mouth (opp. scripturā): C. Furnio plura verbo quam scripturā mandata dedimus, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 8, 5:
cui verbo mandabo, quid, etc., Vulc. Gall. Avid. Cass. 10, § 10.—b. Briefly, in a word:
postquam Caesar dicendi finem fecit, ceteri verbo alius alii varie adsentiebantur, Sall. C. 52, 1: aut verbo adsentiebatur, aut pedibus in sententiam ibat, Liv. 27, 34, 7 Weissenb. ad loc.; 3, 40, 6; cf. also: rogatus a me etiamne majus quam dedecus, verbo de sententiā destitisti, at a word from me, Cic. Tusc. 2, 12, 28 Ernest. ad loc.—5. Meis, tuis, suis verbis, in my, thy, or his name; for me, thee, or him:
gratum mihi feceris, si uxori tuae meis verbis eris gratulatus, Cic. Fam. 15, 8; 5, 11, 2; id. Att. 16, 11, 8: anulum quem ego militi darem tuis verbis, Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 38; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 79: denuntiatum Fabio senatus verbis, ne, etc., Liv. 9, 36, 14.II. In partic.
A. Verbum, in the sing.
1. Of an entire clause, a saying, expression, phrase, sentence (mostly anteclass.; cf.: sententia, dictum): Me. Plus plusque istuc sospitent quod nunc habes. Eu. Illud mihi verbum non placet:
quod nunc habes! Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 11; id. Cas. 2, 5, 39; id. Most. 1, 3, 18; 1, 3, 95; 1, 3, 139; Ter. And. 1, 5, 5; id. Eun. 1, 2, 95; id. Ad. 5, 8, 29.—2. Of a proverb:
verum est verbum, quod memoratur: ubi amici, ibidem opus, Plaut. Truc. 4, 4, 32; so id. ib. 4, 5, 39; Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 17: quod verbum in pectus Jugurthae altius quam quisquam ratus erat descendit, Sall. J. 11, 7.—B. Pregn., mere talk, mere words (opp. to deed, fact, reality, etc.; cf.
nomen): qui omnia verborum momentis, non rerum ponderibus examinet, Cic. Rep. 3, 8, 12; cf.: verbo et simulatione (opp. re verā), Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 58, § 133; v. res: dolor est malum, ut disputas; existimatio, dedecus, infamia verba sunt atque ineptiae, empty words, id. Pis. 27, 65: verborum sonitus inanis, id. de Or. 1, 12, 51: in quibus (civitatibus) verbo sunt liberi omnes? in word, in name, id. Rep. 1, 31, 47. —Hence, verba dare (alicui), to give empty words, i. e. to deceive, cheat: cui verba dare difficile est, Ter. And. 1, 3, 6: vel verba mihi dari facile patior in hoc, meque libenter praebeo credulum, Cic. Att. 15, 16, A: descendit atque Gallis verba dedit, i. e. eluded, escaped from them, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 17, 2, 24: curis dare verba, i. e. to beguile, drive away, Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 40.—C. In gram., a verb:
Aristoteles orationis duas partes esse dicit, vocabula et verba, ut homo et equus, et legit et currit, etc., Varr. L. L. 8, § 11 sq. Müll.; 9, § 95; 10, § 77 al.; Cic. de Or. 3, 49, 191.—D. In eccl. Lat. as a translation of λόγος, the second person of the Trinity, Vulg. Joan. 1, 1; id. 1 Joan. 5, 7; id. Apoc. 19, 13.
Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
verbum ī, n
cf. ῤῆμα; Eng. word, a word: pro his facit verba, speaks, Cs.: quod ego in senatu Graeco verba fecissem, had spoken: libenter verbo utor Catonis (i. e. origines): usitatius hoc verbum et tritius: si pudor, si modestia, si uno verbo temperantia, in a word: verba rebus impressit, i. e. names: contumelia verborum, abusive language, Cs.: verborum delectus, choice of language: multis verbis ultro citroque habitis, much talk on both sides: accusare verbis tribus, in three words: (dies) per quem tria verba silentur, i. e. the praetor's voice (in the official words do, dico, addico), O.—Prov.: verba flunt mortuo, i. e. that is idle talk, T.—Abl sing. adverb., briefly, in one word, by a word: postquam Caesar dicendi finem fecit, ceteri verbo alius alii varie adsentiebantur, S.: verbo de sententiā destitisti, at one word from me.—Orally, by speech: aut verbo adsentiebatur, aut pedibus in sententiam ibat, L.—Abl plur. with poss. pron., or gen, in the name of, in behalf of, for: si uxori tuae meis verbis eris gratulatus, for me: denuntiatum Fabio senatūs verbis, ne, etc., L.—In the phrase, uno verbo, in one word, in a word, briefly: Quin tu uno verbo dic, quid, etc., T.: praetores, praetorios, tribunos plebis . . . unoque verbo rem p., etc.—In phrases to express exact correspondence, verbum e verbo, precisely, exactly, literally: quae Graeci πάτηη appellant, ego poteram morbos, et id verbum esset e verbo.—Of a passage or work, translated or copied, ad verbum, verbum de verbo, verbum pro verbo, or verbum verbo, literally, word for word: fabellae Latinae ad verbum de Graecis expressae: verbum de verbo expressum extulit, T.: verbum pro verbo reddere: verbum verbo reddere, H.—In the phrase, verbi causā or verbi gratiā, for the sake of example, for example, for instance: si quis, verbi causā, oriente Caniculā natus est: quo die verbi causā esse oporteret Idūs.—A saying, expression, phrase, sentence: vetus verbum hoc quidemst, etc., an old saying, T.: quod verbum in pectus Iugurthae altius descendit, S.—Mere talk, mere words: dolor est malum, existimatio, dedecus, infamia verba atque ineptiae, empty words: verborum sonitus inanis.—Abl adv., verbally, in words, nominally: Ut beneficium verbis initum nunc re comprobes, T.: in quibus (civitatibus) verbo sunt liberi omnes, in name.—Hence, the phrase, verba dare, to give mere words, deceive, cheat: Quoi verba dare difficile est, T.: vel verba mihi dari facile patior in hoc: curis dare verba, i. e. to beguile, O.—In grammar, a verb.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *werðom, from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰom (“word”). Cognate with Umbrian 𐌖𐌄𐌓𐌚𐌀𐌋𐌄 (uerfale), English word. In the grammatical sense of “verb”, it is a semantic loan from Ancient Greek ῥῆμᾰ (rhêmă).
Descendants
- Frenchverve
- Portugueseverbofrom Old Galician-Portuguese vervo
- Portugueseverbafrom Old Galician-Portuguese vervo
- Italianverbo
- Italianverba
- Romanianvorbă
- Sardinianbelvu
- Sardinianberbu
- Catalanverb
- Englishverb