ad lib

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

English

Alternative forms

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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æd ˈlɪb/, /ˈæd ˈlɪb/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

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
• Mad Lib

 

Translations

at pleasure

• German: beliebig (de), nach (de) Herzenslust (de), nach Belieben
• Hungarian: tetszés szerint
• 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)
• Russian: по жела́нию (po želániju)
• Spanish: ad libitum (es)

to whatever extent

• French: à discrétion (fr), ad libitum (fr)
• Russian: ско́лько уго́дно (skólʹko ugódno)

extemporaneously

• German: improvisiert (de)
• Russian: экспро́мтом (ru) (eksprómtom)
• 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
• 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)
• Spanish: improvisado (es)

Noun

ad lib (plural ad libs)

1. (acting) An instance of something improvised, especially a line.
2. (music, chiefly hip-hop) Improvised vocals added after the main vocals have been recorded, which serve to emphasize the rhythm or fill the bar line lyrically.

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.

4. (music, chiefly hip hop, intransitive) To perform ad libs; to improvise lyrics after the main lyrics have been recorded.
5. (music, chiefly hip hop, transitive) To perform (lyrics) as ad libs.

Translations

to perform without script

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

to perform without preparation

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

to perform extemporaneously

• French: improviser (fr)
• German: improvisieren (de)
• Portuguese: improvisar (pt)
• Spanish: improvisar (es)

Anagrams

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