#maxim

• Abuse does not invalidate just use — A fundamental principle in bioethics, pharmacovigilance, and clinical toxicology stating that 'a conclusion from the abuse of a thing to its use is not valid'. In medicine, it means that the prohibition or condemnation of a useful drug or medical treatment (e.g., opioids for severe pain) is not justified simply because some patients or individuals abuse it.
• Begin with the essential — A Latin aphorism adapted in medical methodology and epidemiology meaning 'let us begin with the most important thing' (literally: 'the beginning from Jove/Jupiter'). In clinical diagnosis, toxicology, and epidemiological tracing, the maxim dictates starting the evaluation with the most probable hypothesis, the most dangerous toxin, or the most critically affected vital organ to optimize intervention time and save the patient's life.
• Acta est fabula — A famous Latin aphorism literally translated as 'The play has been acted' or 'The story is finished'. In ancient Roman theater, this structural phrase was pronounced at the end of performances to announce to the audience that the play was over and that they could leave. Existentially, the expression is used metaphorically to mark the end of an important stage, the definitive failure of a plan, or the end of life (historically attributed as the last words of Emperor Augustus).
• Acta, non verba — A Latin aphorism literally translated as 'Deeds, not words'. It is a moral and philosophical maxim used universally to emphasize the importance of concrete actions and tangible results over promises, theoretical statements, or rhetorical speeches. In socio-political and administrative contexts, it serves as a structural call to assume responsibility and demonstrate integrity through real deeds.
• Adage — A maxim, sentence, aphorism, or concise formula expressing a moral truth, a rule of conduct, or a recognized traditional legal principle. This structural statement, often transmitted from Latin antiquity, synthesizes practical wisdom or the foundations of civil law, serving as a benchmark in rhetorical argumentation or the interpretation of legal norms.
• Adhuc sub iudice lis est — A legal and literary aphorism of Latin origin, extracted from Horace's 'Ars Poetica', literally translated as 'The lawsuit is still before the judge' or 'The dispute has not yet been resolved'. In a structural and conceptual sense, the phrase is used in contemporary legal and journalistic terminology to designate a case pending before a court, upon which a final judgment has not yet been rendered, forbidding public speculation.
• Aphorism — A concise, memorable, and concentrated enunciative formula expressing a general truth, a maxim, a moral principle, or a profound philosophical thought in an extremely expressive and often paradoxical form. Unlike proverbs, it usually has a known author and a highly refined stylistic structure.
• Aforismă (archaic) — An archaic, bookish, and regional feminine variant of the word 'aforism', occasionally used in 19th-century literary and lexicographical texts. It designates a short reflection, a maxim, or a moral sentence; currently considered obsolete, replaced fully by the neuter form.
• Aphoristic quality — The quality or character of being aphoristic; the intrinsic tendency of a text, speech, or style to express itself through concise, lapidary formulas and condensed thoughts. In modern stylistic analysis, it measures the degree of conceptual concentration and structural essentialization.
• Do what you are doing — A Latin expression literally translated as 'Do what you are doing'; an ancient exhortation to maximum concentration, conscious presence, and dedication in executing any current task. The principle demands that an individual devote their entire attention and energy to the task of the present moment, without being distracted by intrusive thoughts, other projects, or external worries, considered an axiom of efficiency and mindfulness avant la lettre.
• The die has been cast — A famous Latin expression literally translated as 'the die has been cast', historically attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar at the moment of crossing the Rubicon river in 49 BC. This symbolic action marked the start of the civil war against the Roman Senate, and the maxim is universally used today to describe an irreversible decision, a major turning point from which there is no turning back.
• One thing is to conceal, another to be silent — A famous Latin expression originating from Cicero's writings (De Officiis), literally translated as 'one thing is to conceal, another to be silent'. In a legal and moral sense, the maxim establishes a clear distinction between the deliberate, fraudulent act of hiding an essential truth that one is obligated to reveal (constituting fraud or bad faith) and simple passive silence or omission regarding facts that one is not legally or contractually bound to disclose.
• Analects — A collection of selected fragments, maxims, sayings, or parables extracted from the works of a writer or philosopher; a literary anthology. In a major cultural and historical sense, the term (often capitalized) designates the 'Analects of Confucius' (Lun Yu), the collection of teachings, aphorisms, and dialogues compiled by the Chinese philosopher's disciples, constituting the core text of Confucianism.
• Androsace maxima — A species of annual herbaceous plant in the family Primulaceae, widespread across temperate regions of Eurasia. Unlike most alpine species of the genus, it develops in lowland habitats and is structurally characterized by a basal rosette and umbels surrounded by an involucre of large green bracts.
• The mind shudders to remember — Famous Latin phrase extracted from Virgil's epic 'Aeneid', literally translated as 'The mind shudders to remember'. This classical maxim is used culturally and creatively to express a profound state of terror, heartbreaking grief, or psychological revulsion felt by a person at the moment they are forced to recall a traumatic event, a tragedy, or extreme past suffering.
• Ante mare, undae — An aphorism or maxim of Latin origin literally translated as 'Before the sea, (there are) the waves'. Used metaphorically in philosophical, literary, or essayistic contexts, the expression suggests the idea that great transformations, phenomena, or crises in history or in an individual's life are always announced in advance by early signs, minor disturbances, or preliminary events.
• Anticyclone — A large-scale atmospheric formation characterized by an area of high barometric pressure (barometric maximum), where values decrease from the center toward the periphery. This structural phenomenon induces a divergent movement of air masses, which circulate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, typically being associated with stable, clear weather, devoid of precipitation, or with the formation of thermal inversions during winter.
• Anticyclonic — Relating to an anticyclone, characteristic of an anticyclone, or situated within the action zone of a high atmospheric pressure system; an adjective often utilized as a synonymous variant for the term 'anticiclonic' in describing air mass structures, divergent winds, or the geographical area covered by a barometric maximum.
• Anticyclonic — Pertaining to an anticyclone, specific or characteristic of high atmospheric pressure systems; rotating clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. In synoptic meteorology, the term describes stable weather regimes, descending air movements (subsidence), and wind mass circulation around a barometric maximum.
• Antinodal — Pertaining to or relating to an antinode (venter); located in the region of maximum amplitude of a standing wave, where the constructive interference of the component waves causes the maximum displacement, oscillation, or variation of a physical parameter (pressure, velocity, electric field).