ad lib

See also: adlib, ad lib., and ad-lib

English

Alternative forms

• ad lib. (adverb)
• ad-lib, adlib (verb)

Etymology

Abbreviation of ad libitum, borrowed from New Latin ad libitum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æd ˈlɪb/, /ˈæd ˈlɪb/

Adverb

ad lib (comparative more ad lib, superlative most ad lib)

1. At pleasure.
2. At will.
3. To whatever extent.
   • 1951, Katherine Mansfield, Letters to John Middleton Murry, 1913-1922:

     For one thing I had a splendid supper when I got on board—a whack of cold, lean beef and pighells, bread, butter ad lib., tea, and plenty of good bread.

4. Extemporaneously.

Synonyms

• a piacere

Derived terms

• ad-lib

Translations

at pleasure

• German: beliebig (de), nach (de) Herzenslust (de), nach Belieben
• Hungarian: tetszés szerint
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: à vontade (pt)
• Russian: как уго́дно (kak ugódno)
• Spanish: ad libitum (es)

at will

• French: ad libitum (fr)
• German: beliebig (de)
• Portuguese: à vontade (pt)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: по жела́нию (po želániju)
• Spanish: ad libitum (es)

to whatever extent

• French: à discrétion (fr), ad libitum (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: ско́лько уго́дно (skólʹko ugódno)

extemporaneously

• German: improvisiert (de)
• Russian: экспро́мтом (ru) (eksprómtom)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Thai: พูดกลอนสด (pôot glon sòt)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} ad lib
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} a volontà
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} ad libitum
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} a voluntad

Adjective

ad lib (comparative more ad lib, superlative most ad lib)

1. Extemporaneous, impromptu.

Translations

extemporaneous

• German: improvisiert (de), unvorbereitet (de)
• Portuguese: improvisado (pt)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: improvisado (es)

Verb

ad lib (third-person singular simple present ad libs, present participle ad libbing, simple past and past participle ad libbed)

1. To perform without script.
2. To perform without preparation.
3. To perform extemporaneously.

   She ad libbed the rest of the scene.

Translations

to perform without script

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

to perform without preparation

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

to perform extemporaneously

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

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