Wedge is for 'vel' is for 'or'

--- by JLS
---- for the GC

GRICE WAS SO FASCINATED THAT HIS KNOWLEDGE OF LATIN PAID! So he used "p \/ q" (in Logic and Conversation) to represent, Latin 'vel'. Instead of using any other symbol for 'and' he chose 'vel' inverted, i.e. p /\ q. (Strictly, as he noted in the fourth William James, no symbol is needed for 'and': pq will do).

So what's with 'vel'?

Trust the Romans to verbalise it. For them, vel was a VERB!

From Liddell/Scott, Latin Dictionary, below. Note the Romancers to have to be specially careful about ths. Their "or" (in Italian, French, etc) derives from "aut", rather than 'vel'. I should find out if English 'or' is cognate with the Romancers -- I don't think so -- Perhaps there was no Indo-European word for 'or' seeing that things were direct with them: those were the days of the invasions, etc.).


vĕl ,
I. conj. and adv.

old imv. of "volo" prop.,

"will," "choose," "take your choice"; hence,

I. As disjunctive conjunction,
to introduce an alternative as a
matter of choice or preference, or
as not affecting the principal assertion (while
"aut" introduces an absolute or essential opposition; cf. Madv. Gr. § 436; Zumpt, Gr. § 339; Fischer, Gr. § 383).

A. Singly.

1. In gen.,

"or (if you will)," "or else," "or (at your pleasure)," "or (at least)," "or (it is indifferent)," "or (what is the same thing)," etc.:

dic igitur me passerculum ... haedillum me tuom dic esse vel vitellum

Plaut. As. 3, 3, 77: viginti minis? Ba. Utrum vis, vel quater quinis minis, id. Ps. 1, 3, 111:

“lege vel tabellas redde,”

id. ib. 1, 1, 29:

“in solem ponito vel sine sale in defrutum condito,”

Cato, R. R. 7:

orabant (sc. Ubii), ut sibi auxilium ferret ... vel ... exercitum modo Rhenum transportaret,

"or at least," i. e. "or, if he preferred it,"

Caes. B. G. 4, 16:

“ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt,”

Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41:

“in unius voluntate vel moribus,”

id. ib. 2, 28, 51:

“in unā urbe vel in hac ipsā,”

id. ib. 3, 10, 17:

“constituere vel conservare,”

id. ib. 2, 38, 64:

“in ardore caelesti, qui aether vel caelum nominatur,”

id. N. D. 2, 15, 41:

“transfer idem ad modestiam vel temperantiam,”

id. Fin. 2, 19, 60; cf. Madv. ad id. ib. 2, 25, 81:

“unum illud extimescebam, ne quid turpiter facerem, vel dicam, jam effecissem,”

id. Att. 9, 7, 1:

haec neque confirmare argumentis neque refellere in animo est;

“ex ingenio suo quisque demat vel addat fidem,”

Tac. G. 3.—


2. Esp.


a. With "potius," to correct or make more precise what has been said, or rather:

“ex hoc populo indomito vel potius immani,”

Cic. Rep. 1, 44, 68:

“post obitum vel potius excessum Romuli,”

id. ib. 2, 30, 53:

“cessit auctoritati amplissimi viri vel potius paruit,” id. Lig. 7, 22:

“vide quid licentiae nobis tua liberalitas det, vel potius audaciae,” id. ib. 8, 23:

“ludorum plausus vel testimonia potius,” id. Phil. 1, 15, 36:

“quam valde ille reditu vel potius reversione meā laetatus!” id. Att. 16, 7, 5; id. Phil. 13, 9, 19:

“novem tibi orbibus, vel potius globis conexa sunt omnia,” id. Rep. 6, 17, 17:

“plurimas vel potius omnes ex se ipso virtutes contulit,” Quint. 10, 1, 109.


—In climax after a negative:

“tu certe numquam in hoc ordine vel potius numquam in hac urbe mansisses,”

Cic. Phil. 2, 15, 38.—


b. So corrective, without potius:

“sed haec tu melius vel optime omnium,” Cic. Fam. 4, 13, 7:

“clariore vel plane perspicua,” id. Fin. 5, 20, 55; id. Lael. 12, 41:

“Capua ab duce eorum Capye, vel. quod propius vero est, a campestri agro appellata,” Liv. 4, 37, 1:

“cum P. Decius se in Samnium vel in Etruriam proficisci paratum esse ostendisset,”

id. 10, 26, 4.

—Esp. in the phrase vel dicam, "or let me rather say," "or rather":

“quando enim nobis, vel dicam aut oratoribus bonis aut poëtis, ullus ... ornatus defuit?”

Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 10; id. Brut. 57, 207; id. Cael. 31, 75; id. Phil. 2, 12, 30; id. Att. 9, 7, 1; Suet. Calig. 13.

—So intensive,

"or I may even say"

(cf. II. A. 3. infra):

“omnes binos consules, vel dicam amplius, omnia nomina,”

Varr. L. L. 8, p. 106 Bip.:

“a plerisque vel dicam ab omnibus,”

Cic. Fam. 4, 7, 3; id. Brut. 70, 246.—

c. "Vel etiam," "or even":

“ut expositio quarundam rerum gestarum vel etiam fabulosarum,”

Quint. 4, 3, 12. —

d. = aut, or else.

(a). With an alternative necessary consequence:

“id autem nec nasci potest nec mori, vel concidat omne caelum omnisque natura consistat necesse est,”

Cic. Tusc. 1, 23, 54 Tischer ad loc.:

“vel tu ne faceres tale in adulescentiā,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 22.—


(b). In gen. (poet. and post class.):

“si copias armatorum ... secum expenderent, vincendum illā acie vel cadendum esse,”

Tac. A. 14, 35:

“mortem omnibus ex naturā aequalem oblivione apud posteros vel gloriă distingui,”

id. H. 1, 21; cf. id. A. 14, 61; 14, 62:

“quod imperium variā sorte laetum rei publicae aut atrox, principibus prosperum vel exitio fuit,”

id. H. 2, 1 init.; 2, 10; 2, 68; cf. Ov. M. 9, 624 sq.; 15, 601 sq.—

e. In a subordinate alternative after aut:

“nec aut tibi ipsi aut huic Secundo vel huic Apro ignotas,” Tac. Or. 28:

“ne contra Gai quidem aut Claudii vel Neronis ... domum,” id. H. 2, 76:

“abscedens in hortos aut Tusculanum vel Antiatem in agrum,” id. A. 14, 3 init.:

“dementiae quoque judicia aut propter id quod factum est aut propter id quod adhuc fieri vel non fieri potest instituuntur,” Quint. 7, 4, 29.—


B. As co-ordinate.


1. "Vel ... vel," "either ... or," "be it ... or";

in gen. (class.; but where the alternatives are necessary and EXCLUSIVE, that is, where one must be right and the other wrong, "aut ... aut" is used; v. infra, and cf. Madv. ad Cic. Fin. 4, 11, 27):

sed hic numquis adest? Pa. Vel adest vel non, i. e.

just as you please, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 28 Brix ad loc.:

“paucis me misit ad eam ... vel ut ducentos Philippos reddat aureos, vel ut hinc eat secum,”

id. Bacch. 4, 1, 18 sq.:

“ubi illic biberit, vel servato meum modum vel ego dabo,” id. Stich. 5, 4, 37:

“vel tu me vende, vel face quod tibi lubet,”

id. Pers. 3, 1, 70:

“nunc quamobrem huc sum missa, amabo, vel tu mihi ajas, vel neges,”

id. Rud. 2, 4, 14; cf. id. ib. 5, 2, 44:

“Allobrogibus sese vel persuasuros ... existimabant, vel vi coacturos, ut, etc.,”

Caes. B. G. 1, 6:

“ut (Romani) vel sibi agros attribuant vel patiantur eos tenere, etc.,”

id. ib. 4, 7:

“vel sumptuosae vel desidiosae illecebrae,”

Cic. Rep. 2, 4, 8:

“in omni vel officio vel sermone sollers,”

id. ib. 2, 21, 37:

“maximum virtutis vel documentum, vel officium,”

id. ib. 1, 20, 33:

“pace vel Quirini vel Romuli dixerim,” id. Off. 3, 10, 42:

“erant quaestiones vel de caede vel de vi,”

id. Mil. 5, 13; 7, 20; id. Leg. 3, 14, 32; id. Lig. 6, 17; id. Deiot. 1, 1; 5, 13; id. Brut. 69, 242:

“animus vel bello vel paci paratus,”

Liv. 1, 1, 8:

“hunc ordinem ex censu descripsit vel paci decorum vel bello,”

id. 1, 42, 5:

Etruriam et Samnium provincias esse;

“utram mallet eligeret: suo exercitu se vel in Etruriā vel in Samnio rem gesturum,”

id. 10, 19, 9:

“gladioque ruptis omnibus loris, oraculi sortem vel elusit vel implevit,”

Curt. 3, 1, 18:

“nihil illo fuisset excellentius vel in vitiis vel in virtutibus,”

Nep. Alcib. 1, 1; 2, 1; id. Milt. 3, 4.—


b. Connected with "aut," but not corresponding to it (cf. infra, 2. e.):

“num aut tuum aut cujusquam nostrum nomen vel Caucasum hunc transcendere potuit vel illum Gangem transnatare?”

Cic. Rep. 6, 20, 22:

“ubi enim potest illa aetas aut calescere vel apricatione melius vel igni aut vicissim umbris aquisve refrigerari salubrius?”
id. Sen. 16, 57:

“si velim scribere quid aut legere aut canere vel voce vel fidibus, aut geometricum quiddam aut physicum aut dialecticum explicare, etc.,” id. Div. 2, 59, 122.—


2. Esp.


a. With weakened disjunctive force (nearly = "et ... et").

quemadmodum ille vel Athenis vel Rhodi se doctissimorum hominum sermonibus dedisset, Cic. de Or. 2, 1, 3:

“multos sine ratione, sine litteris, quā vel inpudentia vel fames duxit, ruentes,”

Quint. 2, 20, 2:

“affectus vel illos mites vel hos concitatos in suā potestate habuisse,”

id. 10, 1, 48:

eadem quaestio potest eundem vel accusatorem facere vel reum, id. 3, 6, 18:

et nundina vetera ex ordine instituit, vel dies vel tempora,

Lampr Alex. Sev. 43:

pestilentia tanta exstiterat vel Romae, vel Achaicis urbibus, ut, etc., Treb. Gall. 5.—


b. More than twice, "either ... or ... or", etc.:

"tu vel suda, vel peri algu, vel tu aegrota, vel vale,"

Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 24:

“hance tu mihi vel vi vel clam vel precario Fac tradas: meā nil re fert, dum potiar modo,”

Terence, The Eunuch, 2, 3, 28:

“vel in tempestate, vel in agris, vel in corporibus,”

Cic. Rep. 1, 44, 68:

“vel quod ita vivit vel quod ita rem publicam gerit vel quod ita factus est,”

id. Phil. 2, 5, 10:

“vel spectator laudum tuarum vel particeps vel socius vel minister consiliorum,” id. Fam. 2, 7, 2; id. Red. Quir. 9, 23;

“so eight times,”

id. Rep. 1, 3, 6. —


c. The second (or last) vel strengthened,


(a). By etiam:

“quae vel ad usum vitae vel etiam ad ipsam rem publicam conferre possumus,”

or even,

Cic. Rep. 1, 8, 30; so id. ib. 1, 29, 45; 2, 1, 1; cf.:

“ut vel ea defendam, quae Pompejus velit, vel taceam, vel etiam ad nostra me studia referam litterarum,” id. Fam. 1, 8, 3.—


(b). By vero etiam:

“in mediocribus vel studiis vel officiis, vel vero etiam negotiis,” Cic. Rep. 1, 3, 4.—
(g). By omnino:

haec vel ad odium, vel ad misericordiam, vel omnino ad animos judicum movendos ex iis quae sunt ante posita, sumentur (or in general), Cic. Part. Or. 36, 128.

—d. Rarely after a negative = "neque", nor:

“neque satis Bruto ... vel tribunis militum constabat, quid agerent,”
Caes. B. G. 3, 14.

—e. In irregular construction, without the second vel:

“utrumque est in his, quod ab hoc oratore abhorreat: vel quod omnis, qui sapientes non sint, insanos esse dicunt ... accedit quod, etc.,”

Cic. de Or. 3, 18, 65; id. Att. 11, 7, 5; cf. esp. Lucr. 5, 383 sqq. Munro ad loc.

—f. Vel ... vel = aut ... aut:

“habere ea, quae secundum naturam sint, vel omnia vel plurima et maxima,” i. e.

so nearly all that the difference is unimportant, Cic. Fin. 4, 11, 27; cf.

“Madv. ad loc.: cum bonā quidem spe, ut ait idem, vel vincendi vel in libertate moriendi,”

id. Att. 7, 9, 4.

—For vel ... vel, in a subordinate alternative after aut, v. the examples under I. B. 1. b. supra.—

g. Vel, correl. with aut (post-Aug. and rare):

“verborum quoque vis ac proprietas confirmatur vel praesumptione ... aut reprehensione,”

Quint. 9, 2, 18:

“voces ... aut productione tantum vel correptione mutatae,”

id. 9, 3, 69 (but the line Ov. M. 1, 546, is spurious); so, “aut ... aut ... vel: ut aut de nomine aut scripto et sententiā vel ratiocinatione quaeratur,” Quint. 3, 6, 72: “aut ... aut ... aut ... aut ... vel,” id. 8, 6, 68 sq.; cf.:

“ubi regnat Protogenes aliquis vel Diphilus aut Erimarchus,” Juv. 3, 120.


II. As intens. particle (prop. ellipt., implying an alternative the first member of which is omitted, something else or even this, etc.).


A. In gen., or even, if you will, or indeed, or ... itself, even, assuredly, certainly.

1. With subst.: “tum opsonium autem pol vel legioni sat est,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 24; id. Capt. 1, 2, 23; id. Curc. 5, 2, 13: “ita me di ament, vel in lautumiis, vel in pistrino mavelim Agere aetatem, Quam, etc.,” Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 5: Ep. Si arte poteris accubare. Ge. Vel inter cuneos ferreos, id. Stich. 4, 2, 39: “vel rex semper maxumas Mihi agebat gratias,” Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 7: “sed tamen vel regnum malo quam liberum populum,” Cic. Rep. 3, 34, 46: “isto quidem modo vel consulatus vituperabilis est,” id. Leg. 3, 10, 23: “cum se vel principes ejus consilii fore profiterentur,” Caes. B. G. 7, 37: “vel Priamo miseranda manus,” Verg. A. 11, 259: “ego vel Prochytam praepono Suburae,” Juv. 3, 5: “facile me paterer vel illo ipso acerrimo judice quaerente vel apud Cassianos judices ... pro Sex. Roscio dicere,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 85: “populus Romanus auctoritatem suam vel contra omnes defendere potest,” even if necessary, id. Imp. Pomp. 22, 63: “id se probaturum vel ipso Verginio judice,” Liv. 3, 44, 10: “belli necessitatibus eam patientiam non adhibebimus, quam vel lusus ac voluptas elicere solet?” id. 5, 6, 3: “timebant ne Romana plebs ... vel cum servitute pacem acciperet,” even if it should involve their enslavement, id. 2, 9, 5.—

2. With adjj.: Ch. Pax, te tribus verbis volo. Sy. Vel trecentis, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 122: Ca. Ut opperiare hos sex dies saltem modo ... Ba. Animo bono es. Vel sex mensis opperibor, id. Ps. 1, 3, 89; cf.: jam hercle vel ducentae minae, id. ib. 1, 3, 68; “1, 3, 111: hoc ascensu vel tres armati quamlibet multitudinem arcuerint,” Liv. 9, 24, 7: Ph. Dane suavium? Di. Immo vel decem, Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 22: “ego illum eunuchum, si opus sit, vel sobrius,” Ter. Eun. 3, 2, 26: “si sit opus, vel totum triduom,” id. ib. 2, 1, 17: “haec sunt omnia ingenii vel mediocris,” Cic. de Or. 2, 27, 119.—

3. With verbs: namque edepol quamvis desubito vel cadus vorti potest, may even be turned over, i. e. will be empty, Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 39: “ubi ego hinc abiero, vel occidito,” if you will, even, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 93: “per me vel stertas licet, inquit Carneades, non modo quiescas,” Cic. Ac. 2, 29, 93: “ut ipsis sententiis, quibus proluserunt, vel pugnare possint,” id. de Or. 2, 80, 325: “cum vel abundare debeam, cogor mutuari,” id. Att. 15 15, 3—

4. With pronn.: “videndum erit, quid quisque vel sine nobis aut possit consequi aut non possit,” Cic. Off. 1, 18, 59: “existiment quod velint, ac vel hoc intellegant,” id. Fin. 5, 11, 33: “est tibi ex his ipsis qui assunt bella copia, vel ut a te ipso ordiare,” especially as you can begin with yourself, id. Rep. 2, 40, 67.—

B. With superlatives, to denote the highest possible degree, the very; the utmost; the most...possible.

1. With adjj.: hoc invenisset unum ad morbum illum homini vel bellissimum, the very loveliest, the most beautiful possible, Lucil. ap. Non. 527, 28: “vidi in dolore podagrae ipsum vel omnium maximum Stoicorum Posidonium,” Cic. Fragm. ib. 32: “hoc in genere nervorum vel minimum, suavitatis autem est vel plurimum,” the very least ... the utmost possible, id. Or. 26, 91: “quarum duarum (civitatum) si adessent (legationes), duo crimina vel maxima minuerentur,” id. Div. in Caecil. 5, 14: “patre meā sententiā vel eloquentissimo temporibus illis,” the most eloquent possible, id. de Or. 2, 23, 98: “quod erat ad obtinendam potentiam nobilium vel maximum, vehementer id retinebatur,” id. Rep. 2, 32, 56: “cujus (sc. Hannibalis) eo tempore vel maxima apud regem auctoritas erat,” Liv. 36, 41, 2: “vident unum senatorem vel tenuissimum esse damnatum,” Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 46: “fora templaque occupabantur, ut vel exspectatissimi triumphi laetitia praecipi posset,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 51: “sed vel potentissima apud Amphictyonas aequi tractatio est,” Quint. 5, 10, 118; 11, 1, 81.—
2. With advv.: “vel studiosissime quaerere,” Cic. Rep. 1, 10, 15: “cum Sophocles vel optime scripserit Electram,” id. Fin. 1, 2, 5: “vel maxime confirmare,” id. N. D. 2, 65, 162; so, “vel maxime,” id. Ac. 2, 3, 9; id. de Or. 1, 8, 32; id. Att. 9, 12, 3; Quint. 1, 3, 12; 4, 3, 4.—

C. In adding an instance implying that other instances might be mentioned at will, or this one; for instance, for example, as for example, in particular: “Per pol quam paucos reperias Fideles amatores ... Vel hic Pamphilus jurabat quotiens Bacchidi, etc.,” Ter. Hec. 1, 1, 3: “vel heri in vino quam inmodestus fuisti,” id. Heaut. 3, 3, 7: nullast tam facilis res quin difficilis siet Quom invitus facias; “vel me haec deambulatio ... ad languorum dedit,” id. ib. 4, 6, 1: “sed suavis accipio litteras, vel quas proxime acceperam, quam prudentis!” Cic. Fam. 2, 13, 1: “cujus innumerabilia sunt exempla, vel Appii majoris illius, qui, etc.,” id. de Or. 2, 70, 284.—

D. Concessive.

1. With superlatives, perhaps: “adulescens vel potentissimus nostrae civitatis,” Cic. Rosc. A. 2, 6: “domus vel optima Messanae, notissima quidem certe,” the best known, at any rate, if not the finest, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 2, § 3.—

2. = saltem, at least: “quā re etsi minus veram causam habebis, tamen vel probabilem aliquam poteris inducere,” Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 2: “plurimi semetipsos exhortantur vel aliquas partes earum (scientiarum) addiscere, quamvis universas percipere non possint,” Col. 11, 1, 11: “ac, ni flexisset animos, vel Aegypti praefecturam concedi sibi oraret,” Suet. Ner. 47: “ut messe vel unā releves colla perusta,” Mart. 10, 12, 5; Plin. Ep. 1, 12, 8; cf. Madv. ad Cic. Fin. 4, 16, 43.