dictum

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They provided things honest in the sight of all men Paul set the example during his itinerate ministry by working at his trade to secure his support and his dictum has been accepted as both divine and human wisdom ever since.

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Definitions (13)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun An authoritative, often formal pronouncement: "He cites Augustine's dictum that 'If you understand it, it is not God'” (Joseph Sobran).
  2. noun Law See obiter dictum.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (8)

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Examples (50)

  • Her mother really did not quite trust men; her dictum was "Never let a man get the upper hand—there's no telling where he might put it." —  Man from Mundania
  • And this shock was certainly in some way or other connected with Major Harper An hour later, when she was beginning to count every beat of the old man's pulse, and look forward with dread to a midnight vigil beside that breathing corpse, the doctor came Agatha waited for his dictum--it needed very little skill to decide that. —  Agatha's Husband A Novel
  • They provided things honest in the sight of all men Paul set the example during his itinerate ministry by working at his trade to secure his support and his dictum has been accepted as both divine and human wisdom ever since. —  Usury A Scriptural, Ethical and Economic View
  • Henceforth one is conscious of an idea agitating and possessing the young seer of visions Footnote 290: Trial_, vol. ii, p. 444 Footnote 291: "_Nonne alias dictum fuit quod Francia per mulierem desolaretur, et postea per Virginem restaurari debebat?_" Evidence given by Durand Lassois in Trial_, vol. ii, p. 444 Footnote 292: Trial_, vol. ii, p. 447. Nevertheless the woman Le Royer of Domremy remembered it and was astonished by it. —  The Life of Joan of Arc, Vol. 1 and 2
  • This dictum was criticized by Justice Johnson in his dissent, in which he contended that the word "shall" was used "in the future sense," and had "nothing imperative in it. —  The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation Annotations of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 30, 1952
 

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Latin, from neuter past participle of dīcere, to say; see deik- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French dictum = Swedish dictum, from Latin dictum, something said, a word, a witty saying, a proverb, an order, neuter of dictus, past participle of dīcĕre, say: see diction. In older English form dict, q. v.
 

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/ˈdɪktəm/
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Der dicke Dachdecker deckte dir dein Dach, drum dank dem dicken Dachdecker, dass der dicke Dachdecker dir dein Dach deckte. · weitläufig · und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, so leben sie noch heute · redescheu · selbstverständlich