ad lib

[ ad lib, ad ]

/ æd ˈlɪb, ˈæd /

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See synonyms for ad lib on Thesaurus.com

noun

something improvised in speech, music, etc.: Was that joke part of your speech or an ad lib?

adverb

at one's pleasure; without restriction.

freely; as needed; without stint: Water can be given to the patients ad lib.

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IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

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Origin of ad lib

First recorded in 1810–20; see origin at ad libitum

Other definitions for ad lib (2 of 3)

ad-lib

[ ad-lib, ad- ]

/ ædˈlɪb, ˈæd- /

verb (used with object), ad-libbed, ad-lib·bing.

to improvise all or part of (a speech, a piece of music, etc.): to ad-lib one's lines.

verb (used without object), ad-libbed, ad-lib·bing.

to act, speak, etc., without preparation: Throughout the play he had to ad-lib constantly.

adjective

impromptu; extemporaneous: ad-lib remarks to hecklers.

Origin of ad-lib

1915–20, Americanism; v. use of ad lib

OTHER WORDS FROM ad-lib

ad-libber, noun

Other definitions for ad lib (3 of 3)

ad lib.

abbreviation

ad libitum.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use ad lib in a sentence

A lot of the culture around movies in the sci-fi/fantasy genre is about deconstructing them ad nauseam.
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yes, publicizing tragedy gets clicks, gets ad revenue, gets notoriety, and can be done for all the wrong reasons.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When it came to Android, however, it was ad-supported but free.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Late former governors of NY, TX starred in a 1994 snack chip ad.
Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards Concede to Doritos|The Daily Beast Video|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But an ad-supported version of Desert Golfing was impossible.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
"I supposed you 'adn't, as 'e ain't 'ere, with yer ma," replied the young person.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Postrem quid nobis effectum hactenus, seu potis quid attentatum sit ad diuinam gloriam.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Cert ante hoc tempus vix vnquam Gallis vacatum fuit conuertdis incolarum ad Christum animis.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
I don't blame him for killin' the cuss, not a bit; I'd have shot any man livin' that 'ad taken a good horse o' mine up that trail.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
In hoc Isthmo portus regalis est, vbi nunc degimus, ad gradum latitudinis quadragesimum quartum cum besse.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for ad lib

ad-lib

/ (ædˈlɪb) /

verb -libs, -libbing or -libbed

to improvise and deliver without preparation (a speech, musical performance, etc)

adjective (ad lib when predicative)

improvised; impromptu

adverb ad lib

without restraint; freely

music short for ad libitum

noun

an improvised performance, often humorous

Derived forms of ad-lib

ad-libber, noun

Word Origin for ad-lib

C18: short for Latin ad libitum, literally: according to pleasure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for ad lib