List of Latin phrases (N)

This page lists direct English translations of Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of ancient Rome.

This list covers the letter N. See List of Latin phrases for the main list.

N

Latin	Translation	Notes
nasciturus pro iam nato habetur, quotiens de commodis eius agitur	The unborn is deemed to have been born to the extent that his own inheritance is concerned	Refers to a situation where an unborn child is deemed to be entitled to certain inheritance rights.
natura abhorret a vacuo	nature abhors a vacuum	Pseudo-explanation for why a liquid will climb up a tube to fill a vacuum, often given before the discovery of atmospheric pressure.
Natura Artis Magistra	Nature is the teacher of art	The name of the zoo in the centre of Amsterdam; short: Artis.
natura nihil frustra facit	nature does nothing in vain	Cf. Leucippus: "Everything that happens does so for a reason and of necessity."
natura non contristatur	nature is not saddened	That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
natura non facit saltum ita nec lex	nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the law	Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" (just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law), referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
natura non facit saltus	nature makes no leaps	A famous aphorism of Carl Linnaeus stating that all organisms bear relationships on all sides, their forms changing gradually from one species to the next. From Philosophia Botanica (1751).
Natura valde simplex est et sibi consona	Nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself.	Sir Isaac Newton's famous quote, defining foundation of all modern sciences. Can be found in his Unpublished Scientific Papers of Isaac Newton: A selection from the Portsmouth Collection in the University Library, Cambridge, 1978 edition.
naturalia non sunt turpia	What is natural is not dirty.	Based on Servius' commentary on Virgil's Georgics (3:96): "turpis non est quia per naturam venit."
naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret.	You may drive out Nature with a pitchfork, yet she still will hurry back.	You must take the basic nature of something into account. - Horace, Epistles, Book I, epistle iv, line 24.
navigare necesse est vivere non est necesse	to sail is necessary; to live is not necessary	Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius, who, during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome.
ne plus ultra	nothing more beyond	Also nec plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules, for example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillars—as plus ultra, without the negation. This represented Spain's expansion into the New World.The Boston Musical Instrument Company engraved ne plus ultra on its instruments from 1869 to 1928 to signify that none were better.
nec dextrorsum, nec sinistrorsum	Neither to the right nor to the left	Do not get distracted. Motto for Bishop Cotton Boys' School and the Bishop Cotton Girls' School, both located in Bangalore, India.
nec spe, nec metu	without hope, without fear
nec tamen consumebatur	and yet it was not consumed	Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus 3:2. Motto of many Presbyterian churches throughout the world, including Australia.
nec temere nec timide	neither reckless nor timid	The motto of the Dutch 11th Air Manoeuvre Brigade
neca eos omnes, deus suos agnoscet	kill them all, God will know his own.	alternate rendition of Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. by Arnaud Amalric.
nemine contradicente (nem. con.)	with no one speaking against	Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously.
nemo dat quod non habet	no one gives what he does not have	Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
nemo est supra legis	nobody is above the law
Nemo igitur vir magnus sine aliquo adflatu divino umquam fuit	No great man ever existed who did not enjoy some portion of divine inspiration	From Cicero's De Natura Deorum, Book 2, 167
nemo iudex in causa sua	no man shall be a judge in his own cause	Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he holds a specific interest or bias.
nemo malus felix	peace visits not the guilty mind	Also translated to "no peace for the wicked." Refers to the inherent psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
nemo me impune lacessit	no one provokes me with impunity	Motto of the Order of the Thistle, and consequently of Scotland, found stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is also the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story "The Cask of Amontillado". Motto of the San Beda College Beta Sigma Fraternity.
nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit	No mortal is wise at all times	The wisest may make mistakes.
nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur	No one learns except by friendship	Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
nemo saltat sobrius	Nobody dances sober	The short and more common form of "Nemo enim fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit", "Nobody dances sober, unless he is completely insane."
nemo tenetur seipsum accusare	no one is bound to accuse himself	A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination. Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se (no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta contra se (no one is bound to produce documents against himself, meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern criminal law, but no longer applies in modern civil law); and nemo tenere prodere seipsum (no one is bound to betray himself), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam	Endless money forms the sinews of war	In war, it is essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay troops (as Napoleon put it, "An army marches on its stomach").
nihil ad rem	nothing to do with the point	That is, in law, irrelevant and/or inconsequential.
nihil boni sine labore	nothing achieved without hard work	Motto of Palmerston North Boys' High School
nihil dicit	he says nothing	In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or put in a plea.
nihil novi	nothing of the new	Or just "nothing new". The phrase exists in two versions: as nihil novi sub sole (nothing new under the sun), from the Vulgate, and as nihil novi nisi commune consensu (nothing new unless by the common consensus), a 1505 law of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and one of the cornerstones of its Golden Liberty.
nihil obstat	nothing prevents	A notation, usually on a title page, indicating that a Roman Catholic censor has reviewed the book and found nothing objectionable to faith or morals in its content. See also imprimatur.
Nihil sine Deo	Nothing without God	The motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (1878–1947).
Nihil Ultra	Nothing Beyond	The motto of St. Xavier's College, Calcutta.
nil admirari	be surprised at nothing	Motto of the Fitzgibbon family. See John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
nil desperandum	nothing must be despaired at	That is, "never despair".
Nil igitur est mors ad nos	Death, therefore, is nothing to us.	Written in Lucretius' De Rerum Natura (Concerning the nature of things)
nil mortalibus ardui est	nothing is impossible for humankind	From Horace's Odes. Motto of Rathkeale College, New Zealand.
nil nisi bonum	(about the dead say) nothing unless (it is) good	Short for nil nisi bonum de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't speak ill of anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum nisi bonum" (nothing is great unless good), motto of St Catherine's School, Toorak, Pennant Hills High School and Petit Seminaire Higher Secondary School.
nil nisi malis terrori	no terror, except to the bad	The motto of The King's School, Macclesfield.
nil per os, rarely non per os (n.p.o.)	nothing through the mouth	Medical shorthand indicating that oral foods and fluids should be withheld from the patient.
nil satis nisi optimum	nothing [is] enough unless [it is] the best	Motto of Everton F.C., residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
nil sine labore	nothing without labour	Motto of Brisbane Grammar School, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Greenwich Public School, and Victoria School
nil sine numine	nothing without the divine will	Or "nothing without providence". State motto of Colorado, adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine numine divum eveniunt" (these things do not come to pass without the will of Heaven). See also numen.
nil volentibus arduum	Nothing [is] arduous for the willing	Nothing is impossible for the willing
nisi Dominus frustra	if not the Lord, [it is] in vain	That is, "everything is in vain without God". Summarized from Psalm 127, "nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit" (unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who guards it). The motto of Edinburgh.
nisi prius	unless previously	In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court.
nitimur in vetitum	We strive for the forbidden	From Ovid's Amores, III.4:17. It means that when we are denied of something, we will eagerly pursue the denied thing. Used by Friedrich Nietzsche in his Ecce Homo to indicate that his philosophy pursues what is forbidden to other philosophers.
nolens volens	unwilling, willing	That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis volentis. Similar to willy-nilly, though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ([whether] he will or [whether] he will not).
noli me tangere	do not touch me	Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John, this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.
noli turbare circulos meos	Do not disturb my circles!	That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse, Sicily. The soldier was executed for his act.
"nolite te bastardes carborundorum" (Dog Latin)	"Don't let the bastards grind you down	From The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood — the protagonist (Offred) finds the phrase inscribed on the inside of her wardrobe. One of many variants of Illegitimi non carborundum.
nolle prosequi	to be unwilling to prosecute	A legal motion by a prosecutor or other plaintiff to drop legal charges, usually in exchange for a diversion program or out-of-court settlement.
nolo contendere	I do not wish to contend	That is, "no contest". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
nomen dubium	doubtful name	A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
nomen est omen	the name is a sign	Thus, "true to its name".
nomen nescio (N.N.)	I do not know the name	Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
nomen nudum	naked name	A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.
non bis in idem	not twice in the same thing	A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
non causa pro causa	not the cause for the cause	Also known as the "questionable cause" or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis	not in control of the mind	See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui (not in control of himself). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
non constat	it is not certain	Used to explain scientific phenomena and religious advocations, for example in medieval history, for rulers to issue a 'Non Constat' decree, banning the worship of a holy figure. In legal context, occasionally a backing for nulling information that was presented by an attorney. Without any tangible proof, Non constat information is difficult to argue for.
non ducor, duco	I am not led; I lead	Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.
non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum	you should not make evil in order that good may be made from it	More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase "the ends justify the means".
non impediti ratione cogitationis	unencumbered by the thought process	motto of radio show Car Talk
non in legendo sed in intelligendo legis consistunt	the laws depend not on being read, but on being understood
non liquet	it is not proven	Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not complete.
non loqui sed facere	not talk but action	Motto of the University of Western Australia's Engineering faculty student society.
non mihi solum	not for myself alone	Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.
Non nobis Domine	'Not to us (oh) Lord'	The title of a Christian hymn and theme-song of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, C.E.C. - Protestant denomination, not related to the high Episcopal Church of the ordinary Anglican Communion of Christianity. The main theme of the hymn is: 'Non nobis Domine, tuo da glorium.' This is translated as: 'Not to us, (oh) Lord... unto thy name (be) glory.'
non nobis solum	not for ourselves alone	Appears in Cicero's De Officiis Book 1:22 in the form non nobis solum nati sumus (we are not born for ourselves alone). Motto of Lower Canada College, Montreal and University College, Durham University.
non obstante veredicto	not standing in the way of a verdict	A judgment notwithstanding verdict, a legal motion asking the court to reverse the jury's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
non olet	it doesn't smell	See pecunia non olet.
non omnis moriar	I shall not all die	"Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the speaker will survive beyond death.
non plus ultra	nothing further beyond	the ultimate
non possumus	not possible
non progredi est regredi	to not go forward is to go backward
non prosequitur	he does not proceed	A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
non scholae, sed vitae discimus	We learn not for school, but for life.	from Seneca. Also, motto of the Istanbul Bilgi University.
non quis sed quid	not who but what	Used in the sense "what matters is not who says it but what he says" – a warning against ad hominem arguments. Also, motto of Southwestern University.
non sequitur	it does not follow	In general, a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy, a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
non serviam	I will not serve	Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah. Commonly used in literature as Satan's statement of disobedience to God, though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel, not Satan.
non sibi	Not for self.	A slogan used by many schools and universities.
non sibi, sed patriae	Not for self, but for Country.	Engraved on the doors of the United States Naval Academy chapel. Also the motto of the USS Halyburton (FFG-40)
non sibi, sed suis	Not for one's self but for one's own.	A slogan used by many schools and universities. Including Tulane University.
non sibi, sed omnibus	Not for one's self but for all.	A slogan used by many schools and universities. Including Wilson's School.
non sic dormit, sed vigilat	Sleeps not but is awake	Martin Luther on mortality of the soul.
non silba, sed anthar; Deo vindice	Not for self, but for others; God will vindicate.	A slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan.
non sum qualis eram	I am not such as I was	Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the speaker.
non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum	Do not hold as gold all that shines as gold.	Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Parabolae. Also used by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice.
non timebo mala	I will fear no evil	This is the phrase printed on the Colt, in Supernatural.
non vestra sed vos	Not yours but you	Motto of St Chad's College, Durham.
non vi, sed verbo	Not through violence, but through the word alone	Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Protestant Reformation)
nosce te ipsum	know thyself	From Cicero, based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet nosce (thine own self know), is translated in The Matrix as "know thyself".
noster nostri	Literally "Our ours"	Approximately "Our hearts beat as one."
nosus decipio	we cheat	As translated in Amazing Grace (2006 film), "we cheat." From verb decipere: to ensnare, trap, beguile, deceive, cheat.
nota bene (n.b.)	mark well	That is, "please note" or "note it well".
novus ordo seclorum	new order of the ages	From Virgil. Motto on the Great Seal of the United States. Similar to Novus Ordo Mundi (New World Order).
nulla dies sine linea	Not a day without a line drawn.	Pliny the Elder attributes this maxim to Apelles, an ancient Greek artist.
nulla poena sine lege	no penalty without a law	Refers to the legal principle that one cannot be punished for doing something that is not prohibited by law, and is related to Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.
nulla tenaci invia est via	For the tenacious, no road is impassable.	Motto of the Dutch car builder Spyker.
nullam rem natam	no thing born	That is, "nothing". It has been theorized that this expression is the origin of Italian nulla, French rien, and Spanish and Portuguese nada, all with the same meaning.
nulli secundus	second to none	Motto of the Coldstream Guards and Nine Squadron Royal Australian Corps of Transport and the Pretoria Regiment.
nullius in verba	On the word of no man	Motto of the Royal Society.
nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali	no crime, no punishment without a previous penal law	Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing something that is not prohibited by law. It also means that penal law cannot be enacted retroactively.
nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit	There has been no great wisdom without an element of madness
nullus funus sine fidula	No Funeral Without a Fiddle	Motto of the Guild of Funerary Violinists.
numen lumen	God our light	The motto of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The motto of Elon University.
numerus clausus	closed number	A method to limit the number of students who may study at a university.
nunc aut nunquam	now or never	Motto of the Korps Commandotroepen, Dutch elite special forces.
nunc dimittis	now you send	beginning of the Song of Simeon, from the Gospel of Luke.
nunc est bibendum	now is the time to drink	Carpe-Diem-type phrase from the Odes of Horace, Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus (Now is the time to drink, now the time to dance footloose upon the earth).
nunc pro tunc	now for then	Something that has retroactive effect, is effective from an earlier date.
nunc scio quid sit amor	now I know what love is	From Virgil, Eclogues VIII.
nunquam minus solus quam cum solus	never less alone than when alone.
nunquam non paratus	never unprepared	frequently used as motto

Notes

References

• Adeleye, Gabriel G. (1999). World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions. Ed. Thomas J. Sienkewicz and James T. McDonough, Jr. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0865164223.
• Hardon, John, Fr. Modern Catholic Dictionary.
• Stone, Jon R. (1996). Latin for the Illiterati. London & New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415917751.