• Having a full plate -- busy
• Leaving no stone unturned -- thorough•
Let the cat out of the bag -- reveal•
Mop/wipe the floor with -- defeat, rout, clobber
• Out of the running -- eliminated, defeated
• Pick someone's brain -- discuss, question
• Sorry state of affairs -- pathetic
• Throw your hat in the ring -- try




ab ovo
from the beginning
ad astra per aspera
to the stars through difficulties
addendum
something to be added, usually in writing, which qualifies a foregoing thesis or statement
ad infinitum
to infinity, endlessly
ad nauseam
to the point of disgust
animus
will or intention
carpe diem
'seize the day'; live for the present
casus belli
justification for war, grounds for a dispute
caveat emptor
'let the buyer beware'; dictum that professes the buyer is responsible for checking that the goods or services they purchase are satisfactory
cave canem
beware of the dog
cogito, ergo sum
'I think, therefore I am'; quotation from French philosopher René Descartes
cognomen
surname or family name; nickname
compos mentis
of sound mind
corrigendum
something to be corrected
curriculum vitae
(CV) 'the course of life'; account of a person's education and previous employment, attached to a job application
de facto
in fact
de gustibus non est disputandum
there is no accounting for taste
de jure
according to law; legally
deus ex machina
'a god from the machinery'; far-fetched or unlikely event that resolves an intractable difficulty
dramatis personae
the characters in a play
emeritus
someone who has retired from an official position but retains their title on an honorary basis, for example, a professor emeritus
ergo
therefore; hence
erratum
an error
et alia or et al.
and other things
ex cathedra
'from the throne'; term describing a statement by the pope, taken to be indisputably true, and which must be accepted by Catholics
ex libris
'from among the books of'; used on bookplates to identify the owner
factotum
'do everything'; someone employed to do all types of work
fiat
'let it be done'; authoritative decree or order, especially one given by a person or group holding absolute power
in loco parentis
'in place of a parent'; in a parental capacity
ipse dixit
'(he) himself said (it)'; the master has spoken
in situ
in place, on the spot, without moving from position
inter alia
among other things
in vino veritas
in wine (there is) the truth
ipso facto
by that very fact
literati
educated or cultured people; literary persons
magnum opus
a great work of art or literature
mea culpa
'my fault'; an admission of guilt
modus operandi
a method of operating
modus vivendi
'way of living'; a compromise between opposing points of view
mores
the customs and manners of a society
mutatis mutandis
with changes being made; with alterations to fit a new set of circumstances
ne plus ultra
no further; the furthest point possible; limit
nil desperandum
never despair
nolo contendere
plea of no defense; no contest; equivalent to plea of guilty
non sequitur
'it does not follow'; statement that has little or no relevance to the one that preceded it
obiter dictum
incidental remark; remark made by a judge on a matter not within their jurisdiction
passim
'in many places'; indicates that a reference occurs repeatedly throughout the work
per se
in itself
postmortem
'after death'; autopsy
post scriptum
(PS) something written below the signature on a letter
prima facie
at first sight
pro rata
in proportion
pro tem (pore)
for the time being
quantum
'as much, how much'; an indivisible physical quantity
quidnunc
'what now?'; gossip; busybody
quid pro quo
'something for something'; an exchange of one thing in return for another
quod erat demonstrandum (QED)
'which was to be proved'; added at the end of a geometry proof
quo vadis?
where are you going?
q.v.abbreviation for quod vide
('which see'), indicating a cross-reference
sic
'thus,' 'so'; sometimes found in brackets within a printed quotation to show that the original has been quoted accurately even though it contains an apparent error
sine die
'without a day being appointed'; indefinitely
sine qua non
'without which not'; absolutely essential
status quo
'the state in which'; the current situation, without change
sub judice
'under a judge'; of judicial proceedings, not yet decided by a court of law or judge: as long as a matter is sub judice all discussion is prohibited elsewhere
tabula rasa
'scraped tablet' (from the Romans' use of wax-covered tablets which could be written on with a pointed stick and cleared by smoothing over the surface); a mind without any preconceived ideas
tempus fugit
time flies
terra firma
dry land; solid ground
vade mecum
'go with me'; a useful handbook carried about for reference
versus(abbreviation v. or vs.)
against
vice versa
the other way around
viva voce
'with living voice'; by word of mouth; an oral examination