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“ad libitum”
ad libitum; ad lib (Latin adverb)
At pleasure; according to one's pleasure; freely, unscripted, improvised; extemporaneously.
This is usually shortened to ad lib. and can be written with or without a period. Ad lib is used both as a verb and as a noun.
When used in the entertainment world, to ad lib means to improvise, to add an impromptu word or statement to a script. As a noun, an ad lib is an "off-the-cuff", or unprepared, remark.
It is said that there are some politicians who have "carefully planned ad libs".
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ad-
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Latin Proverbs, Mottoes, Phrases, and Words: Group A
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Word Entries at Get Words:
“ad libitum”
ad lib., ad libitum
at will
Literally meaning is "at pleasure". This expression is popularly used as a noun phrase or modifier in English in the form "ad lib" to express absence of planning; for example, "His worst jokes were carefully planned ad libs."
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Abbreviations Frequently Encountered
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