rem acu tango
Latin
Alternative forms
Etymology
From rem the accusative of rēs (“thing, matter, issue”) + acū (“with a needle”), the ablative of acus (“a needle”) + tangō (“I touch”). Literally meaning "I touch the issue with a needle", "I touch the matter with a needle", or "I touch it with a needle".
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /rem ˈa.kuː ˈtan.ɡoː/, [rɛ̃ˑ ˈäkuː ˈt̪äŋɡoː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /rem ˈa.ku ˈtan.ɡo/, [rɛm ˈäːku ˈt̪äŋɡo]
Verb
rem acū tangō (present infinitive rem acū tangere, perfect active rem acū tetigī, supine rem acū tāctum); third conjugation
Conjugation
Usage notes
- Usually used in the active perfect second person singular form rem acū tetigistī (“"you have touched the matter with a needle"; you have hit the nail on the head”), the word rem is sometimes omitted as in acū tetigistī (“"you have touched with a needle"- you have hit the nail on the head”). It is also used in the third person; rem acū tetigit (“"he touched it with a needle"- he has hit the nail on the head”).[1]