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Rubicon
Rubicon a stream in NE Italy which marked the ancient boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. Julius Caesar led his army across it into Italy in 49 bc, breaking the law forbidding a general to lead an army out of his province, and so committing himself to war against the Senate and Pompey; the ensuing civil war resulted in victory for Caesar after three years.
In general use, rubicon came in the 17th century to mean a boundary or limit, and from the late 19th century, in the card-game of piquet, to denote an act of winning a game against an opponent whose total score is less than 100, in which case the loser's score is added to rather than subtracted from the winner's. cross the Rubicon pass a point of no return, as Caesar led his army across the river forming the ancient boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul; the expression has been current since the 17th century. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rubicon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rubicon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Rubicon.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rubicon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Rubicon.html |
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Rubicon
Rubicon, Italy, USA Italy (Emilia‐Romagna): a small river, originally the Rubico and now locally the Rubicone, that was the ancient boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy during the time of the Roman Republic (509–44 bc). By crossing it with his forces in 49 bc, Julius Caesar† emerged from the province of which he had been given command, thus breaking the law; this was tantamount to an invasion of Italy and a challenge to the Roman Senate. Civil war ensued and brought the republic to an end. The name comes from the Latin rubicundus ‘red’ or ‘ruddy’, a reference to the colour of the soil here. ‘To cross the Rubicon’ is an English expression meaning ‘a point from which there is no turning back’, ‘an irreversible commitment’.
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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Rubicon." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Rubicon." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Rubicon.html JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Rubicon." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Rubicon.html |
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Rubicon
Ru·bi·con / ˈroōbəˌkän/ a stream in northeastern Italy that marked the ancient boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. Julius Caesar led his army across it into Italy in 49 bc, breaking the law forbidding a general to lead an army out of his province, and so committing himself to war against the Senate and Pompey. The ensuing civil war resulted in victory for Caesar after three years. ∎ [as n.] a point of no return: on the way to political union we are now crossing the Rubicon. |
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"Rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rubicon.html "Rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rubicon.html |
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Rubicon
Rubicon , Lat. Rubico, small stream that flows into the Adriatic and in Roman times marked the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and ancient Italy. In 49 BC, after some hesitation, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon to march against Pompey in defiance of the senate's orders. He thus committed himself to conquer or to perish, and "to cross the Rubicon" now means to take an irrevocable step. |
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"Rubicon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rubicon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Rubicon.html "Rubicon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Rubicon.html |
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rubicon
ru·bi·con • n. (in piquet) an act of winning a game against an opponent whose total score is less than 100, in which case the loser's score is added to rather than subtracted from the winner's. • v. (-coned, -con·ing) [tr.] score a rubicon against (one's opponent). |
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Cite this article
"rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rubicon005.html "rubicon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rubicon005.html |
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Rubicon
Rubicon Ancient name for the River Fiumicino in n central Italy. It formed the border between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. In 49 bc, Julius Caesar precipitated civil war by ‘crossing the Rubicon’ into Italy with his army, hence the modern phrase meaning to take an irrevocable step.
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"Rubicon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rubicon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Rubicon.html "Rubicon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Rubicon.html |
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Rubicon
Rubicon A small stream in north-east Italy near San Marino that flows into the Adriatic, marking the ancient boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. By taking his army across it (i.e. outside his own province) in 49 BC Julius Caesar committed himself to war against the Senate and Pompey.
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"Rubicon." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rubicon." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Rubicon.html "Rubicon." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Rubicon.html |
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Rubicon
Rubicon •blacken, bracken, slacken
•Sri Lankan
•Alaskan, Gascon, Madagascan, Nebraskan
•Aachen, darken, hearken, kraken, Marcan, Petrarchan
•Interlaken
•beckon, Deccan, pekan, reckon
•Mencken
•awaken, bacon, betaken, forsaken, Jamaican, mistaken, partaken, shaken, taken, waken
•godforsaken
•archdeacon, beacon, Costa Rican, deacon, Dominican, Mohican, Mozambican, Puerto Rican, weaken
•quicken, sicken, stricken, thicken, Wiccan
•silken
•Incan, Lincoln
•brisken, Franciscan
•barbican • Rubicon • Gallican
•Anglican
•Helicon, pelican
•basilican, Millikan, silicon
•publican • pantechnicon • Copernican
•African • American • hurricane
•lexicon, Mexican
•Corsican • Vatican • liken
•Brocken, Moroccan
•falcon, Lorcan, Majorcan, Minorcan
•Balcon, Balkan
•gyrfalcon
•awoken, bespoken, betoken, broken, foretoken, oaken, outspoken, plain-spoken, ryokan, spoken, token, woken
•heartbroken
•Lucan, toucan
•Saarbrücken • Buchan • Vulcan
•drunken, Duncan, shrunken, sunken
•Etruscan, molluscan (US molluskan), Tuscan
•Ardnamurchan • lochan
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Cite this article
"Rubicon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rubicon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Rubicon.html "Rubicon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Rubicon.html |
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