The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (39 page)

inamorata (inamarahta) ITALIAN [past
participle of innamorare to enamour, inspire with love] noun (plural
inamoratas) a female lover or girlfriend: "Mme. Coquenard recognized her
present, and could not at first comprehend
this restitution; but the visit of Porthos
soon enlightened her. The anger which
fired the eyes of the Musketeer, in spite of
his efforts to suppress it, termed his sensitive inamorata" (Alexandre Dumas,
The Three Musketeers, 1844). '"noun,
masculine inamorato (inamarahto)
(plural inamoratos) a male lover or
boyfriend.

in articulo mortis (in arhtikyoolo
mortis) LATIN [in the moment of
death] adverb phrase at the point of
death, in extremis.

in camera (in kamara) LATIN [in a
chamber] adverb privately, secretly,
behind closed doors: "The committee
met in camera to debate the question at
length." -adjective private, secret.

incipit (inspit, inspit, incipit, incipit)
LATIN [it begins, third-person singular
present indicative of incipere to begin]
noun here begins, the first words of
a manuscript, as employed in many
medieval documents and books.

incognito (inkogneeto) ITALIAN [from
Latin incognitus unknown, from in unand cognoscere to know] adverb with a
concealed or false identity: "When my
goods had been all sold, I left Paris to go
and live incognito as a parlor-boarder in
the Convent of the Ursuline nuns of Pondevaux" (Wilkie Collins, The Fair Penitent, 1857). 'adjective of or relating
to a concealed or false identity. -noun
(feminine incognita, inkogneeta, plural incognitos, incognitas) a person
who goes under a concealed or false
identity.

incommunicado (inkom),oonikahdo),
incomunicado SPANISH [from incomunicado not in communication, the
past participle of incomunicar to deprive
of communication] adverb without
access to communication, or in solitary
confinement: "The hostages were held
incommunicado for several weeks." 'adjective without means of communication.

inconnu (anki.noo, ankinoo) FRENCH
[stranger] noun (plural inconnus) a
stranger or unknown person: "..rushing at the rate of double drink-money: an
Unknown `inconnu on horseback' shrieks
earnestly some hoarse whisper, not audible,

into the rushing Carriage-window, and
vanishes, left in the night." (Thomas Carl),le, History of the French Revolution,
1837).

in concreto (in konkreetO) LATIN [in
concrete] adverb phrase set in concrete, from a concrete point of view.

in corpore (in korpara)') LATIN [in the
body] adverb phrase in substance.

incubus (ink),abas) LATIN [a person
who lies upon, from incubare to lie on]
noun (plural incubi, ink),abee, or incubuses, inkyabasez) a supernatural
demon reputed to have sexual intercourse with women while they are
asleep or to induce oppressive nightmares, or any person who behaves in
a similarly stealthy, demonic manner:
"...1 thought she might assist me with her
experience; never dreaming she would prove
a usurper, a tyrant, an incubus, a spy, and
everything else that's detestable" (Anne
Bronte, Agnes Grey, 1847).

incunabulum (inkyoonahb),oolam)
LATIN [swaddling clothes or bands
holding a baby in a cradle] noun (plural incunabula, ink),oonahbyoola) a
book printed prior to the 16th century, or anything else belonging to
an early period or at an early stage of
development.

in curia (in 0ci'i5) LATIN [in court]
adverb phrase in open court.

indecorum (indikoram) LATIN [that
which is unbecoming, from neuter
singular of indecorus unseemly] noun
lack of decorum, or impropriety: "One would say, that Nature, like
untrained persons, could not sit still without nestling about or doing something
with her limbs or features, and that high
breeding was only to be looked for in trim
gardens, where the soul of the trees is ill
at ease perhaps, but their manners are
unexceptionable, and a rustling branch or
leaffalling out of season is an indecorum"
(Oliver Wendell Holmes, Elsie Penner,
1861).

Index Librorum Prohibitorium (indeks
libroram prohibitoram) LATIN [index
of prohibited books] noun phrase the
Roman Catholic Church's official list of
books that members of the church are
forbidden to read.

inertia (inersha, inersheeb) LATIN
[lack of skill, inactivity] noun a
state of rest, motionlessness, apathy,
or inactivity: "For the first few days he
reproached himself for his inertia; then
he began to seek reasons for justifying
it" (Edith Wharton, Glimpses of the
Moon, 1922).

in esse (in esee) LATIN [in existence]
adjective phrase existing, in actual
fact.

in ex See IN EXTENSO.

in excelsis (in ekschelsis, in ekselsis)
LATIN [on high, in the highest] adverb
phrase superlatively, in the highest or
utmost degree.

in extenso (in ekstenso) LATIN [in
length, from extensus, the past participle of extendere to stretch out] adverb
phrase in full, in its entirety. 'abbreviated form in ex.

in extremis (in ekstreemis, in
ikstreemis) LATIN [in the extreme]
adverb phrase at the point of death,
in extreme difficulty, in extreme circumstances: "In the interests of secrecy,
he was told only to use the radio in
extremis."

Inf. See INFRA.

in facie curiae (in fasee kooreei) LATIN
[in the face of the court] adverb phrase
before the court.

in facto (in fakto) LATIN [in fact]
adverb phrase in actual fact.

infanta (infanta) SPANISH/PORTUGUESF [feminine of infante infant]
noun (plural infantas) a younger
daughter of a Spanish or Portuguese
king (and thereby not the heir to the
throne), or the wife of an infante:
"Although she was a real Princess and
the Infanta of Spain, she had only one
birthday every year, just like the children
of quite poor people, so it was naturally a matter of great importance to the whole
country that she should have a really fine
day for the occasion" (Oscar Wilde, A
House ofPomegranates, 1891).

infante (infantee, infanta) SPANISH/
PoRTUGUFSE [infant] noun (plural
infantes) a younger son of a Spanish
or Portuguese king (and thereby not
the heir to the throne): "...1 will make
the same to take no rest, and to roam the
seven regions of the earth more thoroughly
than the Infante Don Pedro of Portugal ever
roamed them, until I have disenchanted her"
(Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don
Quixote, 1605).

inferno (inferno) ITALIAN [hell, from
Latin infernos below] noun (plural
infernos or inferni, infernee) hell,
or a place that suggests comparison
with hell or the fires of hell: "All the
stories that can be found in old manuscripts
will never prevent the going out of the fires
of the legendary Inferno" (Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Over the Tea-Cups, 1891).

in flagrante delicto (in flagrantay
dilikto) LATIN [while the crime is
blazing] adverb phrase caught out
while doing something forbidden or
disapproved of, typically used of a
couple surprised while engaging in
illicit sexual activity: "Nana, her arms
round Prulliere's neck, was drawing him
toward her when Fontan, with comically
furious mimicry and an exaggerated imitation of the face of an outraged husband
who surprises his wife in FLAGRANTE

DELLCTO, appeared at the back of the
grotto" (Emile Zola, Nana, 1880).

influenza (inflooenza) ITALIAN [influence, from medieval Latin influentia,
inspired by the belief that epidemics
are due to the influence of the stars]
noun a contagious viral disease, the
symptoms of which include fever,
weakness, muscular aches and pains,
and inflammation of the respiratory
mucous membrane, or any disease
giving rise to similar ailments: "How
sorry I am! But colds were never so prevalent as they have been this autumn. Mr.
Wingfield told me that he has never known
them more general or heavy-except when
it has been quite an influenza" (Jane Austen, Emma, 1815). 'abbreviated form
flu (floo).

infra (infra, infrar) LATIN [below,
under] adverb later or below, a bibliographical reference directing the
reader to something following in the
text. 'abbreviated form inf.

infra dig (infra dig) LATIN [from
infra dignitatem, below dignity] adjective phrase undignified, beneath one's
dignity: "He considered the suggestion that
he do the work himself decidedly infra dig."

ingenue (anjanoo, hanzhanoo), ingenue
FRENCH [feminine of ingenu ingenuous,
innocent] noun (plural ingenues) a
naive, unsophisticated young woman
or girl, or the role of such a woman in
a play, or an actress specializing in such parts: "The fact is, the old lady believed
Rebecca to be the meekest creature in the
world, so admirably, on the occasions when
her father brought her to Chiswick, used
Rebecca to perform the part of the ingenue;
and only a year before the arrangement by
which Rebecca had been admitted into her
house, and when Rebecca was sixteen years
old, Miss Pinkerton majestically, and with a
little speech, made her a present of a doll ..."
(William Makepeace Thackera),, Vanity
Fair, 1847-48). 'adjective of or relating
to someone of a naive, unsophisticated
character.

in infinitum (in infinltum) LATIN [into
the endless] adverb phrase to infinity,
without end.

in jure (inyoori, in jQ0ra)') LATIN [in
law] adverb phrase according to law, in
court: "The barrister suggested that his client's argument had little strength in jure."

in lieu, in lieu of See LIEU.

in loc. cit. See IN LOCO CITATO.

in loco (in loko) LATIN [in place]
adverb phrase instead of, in place of.
'abbreviated form in loc.

in loco citato (in loko sitahto) LATIN
[in the place cited] adverb phrase in
the place mentioned. abbreviated form
in loc. cit.

in loco parentis (in loko parentis)
LATIN [in the place of a parent] adverb phrase assuming the authority or
responsibility of a parent: "Teachers act
in loco parentis during school hours."

in medias res (in meedi3s Q)7) LATIN
[into the middle of things] adverb
phrase into the heart of the matter,
into the midst of everything, without
preamble (especiall), of a narrative
or plot): "I will even do as Horace says,
sir,' I answered, smiling, and carry you in
medias res.' He nodded as if he was well
pleased, and indeed his scrap of Latin
had been set to test me" (Robert Louis
Stevenson, Kidnapped, 1886).

in memoriam (in memoriam) LATIN
[for memory] adverb phrase in memory of, to the memory of, or a poem
or notice in memory of a deceased
person: "A statue was raised in memoriam
of the great hero."

in nomine (in nomina),, in nominee)
LATIN [in the name] proposition phrase
in the name of.

innuendo (inyooendo, inyoowendo)
LATIN [by hinting, from innuere to
hint, signify, nod to] noun (plural
innuendos, innuendoes) an insinuation, hint, or oblique allusion:
"Anyhow, he eventually married
her.' There were volumes of innuendo
in the way the `eventually' was spaced,
and each syllable given its due stress"
(Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence,
1920).

in ovo (in ovo) LATIN [in the egg]
adverb phrase in embryo, or at an
embryonic stage of development: "The
project seemed doomed to fail while still
in ovo."

in parvo (in pahrvO) LATIN [in little]
adverb phrase in microcosm, in miniature, on a small scale.

in perpetuum (in peretyooam, in
peretjooam) LATIN [in perpetuity]
adverb phrase for ever, for all time,
in perpetuity: "Under the terms of his
will, the charity was to receive $1,000 per
annum in perpetuum."

in personam (in personam) LATIN
[against the person] adverb phrase legal term for an action to enforce a
liability or obligation against a particular individual: "The city council hopes
to institute a legal action in personam
against the mayor."

in petto (in eto) ITALIAN [in the
breast] adverb phrase in private,
secretly (especially in relation to the
appointment of cardinals by the Pope
in private rather than before the governing body of the church).

in posse (in ptsee) LATIN [in being
able] adjective phrase in possibility, potentially (rather than actually
existing).

in principio (in princeeo, in
prinneeo) LATIN [in origin] adverb

phrase at first, in the beginning.
'abbreviated form in pr.

in propria persona (in propria persona) LATIN [in one's own person]
adverb phrase personality, in one's
own proper person (specifically, in
law, instead of being represented by a
lawyer): "It was so seldom that I met Miss
Wyllys, that for a time my mind was undecided. But, of course, I should have written
you word, if anything had been finally settled; even ifyou had not come to look after
me in propria persona" (Susan Fenimore
Cooper, Elinor Wyllys, 1846).

in re (in r, in ree) LATIN [in the
thing, in the matter] preposition phrase
concerning, in the matter of.

in rem (in rem) LATIN [against a
thing] adjective phrase against a thing
(especially in relation to legal actions
concerning rights to, the status of, and
the titles to property): "The company
launched an action in rem against several
individuals who were alleged to have committed breaches of copyright."

in rerum natura (in rayram nachyoora) LATIN [in the nature of things]
adverb phrase in the physical world,
existing, genuine: `Answer and for
once in thy long, useless, and evil life, let it
be in the words of truth and sincerity,
bast thou such a coach? is it in rerum
natura? or is this base annunciation a
mere swindle on the incautious to beguile
them of their time, their patience, and three shillings of sterling money of this
realm?" (Walter Scott, The Antiquary,
1816).

INRI (inree) LATIN [abbreviation of
Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaerum Jesus the
Nazarene King of the Jews, the words
inscribed on Christ's cross on the
orders of Pontius Pilate] noun Jesus
of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

in s. See IN SITU.