Explanation:
LatinTranslationNotes
a bene placitofrom one well pleasedi.e., "at will" or "at one's pleasure." This phrase, and its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad libitum (at pleasure).
a maiore ad minusfrom the greater to the smallerFrom general to particular; "What holds for all X also holds for one particular X." – argumentum a fortiori
a minore ad maiusfrom the smaller to the greaterAn inference from smaller to bigger; what is forbidden at least is forbidden at more ("If riding a bicycle with two on it is forbidden, riding it with three on it is at least similarly punished".)
a caelo usque ad centrumfrom the sky to the centeri.e., "from Heaven all the way to the center of the Earth." In law, it may refer to the proprietary principle of cuius est solum, eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos ("whosoever is the soil, it is his up to the sky and down to the depths [of the Earth]").
a capite ad calcemfrom head to heeli.e., "from top to bottom," "all the way through," or "from head to toe." See also a pedibus usque ad caput.
a contrariofrom the oppositei.e., "on the contrary" or "au contraire". Thus, an argumentum a contrario ("argument from the contrary") is an argument or proof by contrast or direct opposite.
a falsis principiis proficiscito set forth from false principlesLegal phrase. From Cicero, De Finibus IV.53.
a fortiorifrom the strongeri.e., "even more so" or "with even stronger reason." Often used to lead from a less certain proposition to a more evident corollary.
a pedibus usque ad caputfrom feet to headi.e., "completely," "from tip to toe," "from head to toe." Equally a capite ad calcem. See also ab ovo usque ad mala.
a posse ad essefrom being able to being"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to being actual".
a posteriorifrom the latterBased on observation, i. e., empirical evidence. Opposite of a priori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known after a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something known from experience.
a priorifrom the formerPresupposed independent of experience; the reverse of a posteriori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known or postulated before a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something is supposed without empirical evidence. In everyday speech, it denotes something occurring or being known before the event.
