What is the Latin phrase ‘ad lib’ short for?
Ad libitum Ad libitum Ad libitum () is Latin for "at one's pleasure" or "as you desire"; it is often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun). The roughly synonymous phrase "a bene placito" ("in accordance with [one's] good pleasure") is less common but, in its Italian form "a piacere", entered the musical "lingua franca" (see below). The phrase "at liberty" is often associated mnemonically (because of the alliteration of the "lib-" syllable), although it is not the translation (there is no cognation between "libitum" and "liber"). Libido is the etymologically closer cognate
Ad astra (phrase) Ad astra (phrase) Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote "sic itur ad astra" ("thus one journeys to the stars", from "Aeneid" book IX, line 641, spoken by Apollo to Aeneas's young son Iulus) and "opta ardua pennis astra sequi" ("desire to pursue the high (or hard to reach) stars on wings" book XII, lines 892–893, spoken by Aeneas to his foe Turnus in their combat). Another origin is Seneca the Younger, who wrote "non est ad astra mollis e terris via" ("there is no easy way from the