Rubicon

[ roo-bi-kon ]

noun

a river in northern Italy flowing east into the Adriatic. 15 miles (24 km) long: crossed by Julius Caesar when he marched against Rome in 49 b.c.
Sometimes rubicon . the act that commits someone to a particular course; point of no return: Publication serves as a Rubicon for authors, since they will be unable to edit their work afterward.

Idioms about Rubicon

cross / pass the Rubicon, to take a decisive, irrevocable step: Our entry into the war made us cross the Rubicon and abandon isolationism forever.

Origin of Rubicon

First recorded in 1610–20

word story For Rubicon

In the late Roman Republic, the Rubicon was a border between Roman territory and one of Rome's provinces, Cisalpine Gaul. As the governor of a region that included this province, Julius Caesar had full command over his own army, but was forbidden to exercise this command within Roman territory. Caesar was a powerful, popular leader who had been victorious in many campaigns that the Senate did not authorize him to conduct. Tensions surrounding these unauthorized wars and fear of his popularity led the Senate to demand he give up his governorship and return to Rome to be tried for treason and war crimes. Caesar refused, and led his army into Rome. Before he marched his troops across the Rubicon, he still had a chance to change his mind and come back to Rome without initiating a civil war. But once the crossing was achieved, civil war was inevitable. Thus, in crossing the Rubicon, Caesar passed the point of no return.

Words Nearby Rubicon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Rubicon in a sentence

In most cases, this situation would foretell a Rubicon-crossing nightmare.
Christian Wood Might Be The Rockets’ Silver Lining | Michael Pina | December 9, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
Cruz said the companies “crossed the Rubicon” with their actions.
Facebook, Google, Twitter CEOs clash with Congress in pre-election showdown | Tony Romm, Rachel Lerman, Cat Zakrzewski, Heather Kelly, Elizabeth Dwoskin | October 28, 2020 | Washington Post
My partner, a fellow Iraq veteran and volunteer with the disaster response nonprofit Team Rubicon, chuckled in agreement.
How Military Veterans Led Sandy Volunteer Efforts | Peter Meijer | October 28, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
For the military veteran volunteers of Team Rubicon, it was a challenge to meet and an opportunity to serve again.
How Military Veterans Led Sandy Volunteer Efforts | Peter Meijer | October 28, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Team Rubicon, a disaster relief group led by veterans, earned its stripes volunteering during Sandy.
How Military Veterans Led Sandy Volunteer Efforts | Peter Meijer | October 28, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST

And I personally am set to read Rubicon this weekend, so I hope you'll do the same.
Tom Holland's 'Rubicon' Out With a New Cover | Justin Green | April 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
David has previously reviewed Holland's In the Shadow of the Sword, Persian Fire, and Rubicon.
Tom Holland's 'Rubicon' Out With a New Cover | Justin Green | April 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
It will be too late for us to go back then, Susan; the die will be cast, the Rubicon crossed, another poor man undone forever.
Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline | Jennie M. Drinkwater
Warren quickly vanished among the trees and bowlders, and the Rubicon was crossed.
The Young Ranchers | Edward S. Ellis
Meanwhile, Duplay walked home, the happier for having crossed his Rubicon.
Tristram of Blent | Anthony Hope
They had crossed the Rubicon, and felt that there was no return.
Historical Tales, Vol. 6 (of 15) | Charles Morris
Suppose I believe, for example, "that Caesar crossed the Rubicon."
The Analysis of Mind | Bertrand Russell

British Dictionary definitions for Rubicon

Rubicon

/ (ˈruːbɪkən) /

noun

a stream in N Italy: in ancient times the boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. By leading his army across it and marching on Rome in 49 bc, Julius Caesar broke the law that a general might not lead an army out of the province to which he was posted and so committed himself to civil war with the senatorial party
(sometimes not capital) a point of no return

a penalty in piquet by which the score of a player who fails to reach 100 points in six hands is added to his opponent's
cross the Rubicon or pass the Rubicon to commit oneself irrevocably to some course of action

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

Cultural definitions for Rubicon

Rubicon

[ (rooh-bi-kon) ]

A river in northern Italy that Julius Caesar crossed with his army, in violation of the orders of the leaders in Rome, who feared his power. A civil war followed, in which Caesar emerged as ruler of Rome. Caesar is supposed to have said, “The die is cast” (referring to a roll of dice), as he crossed the river.

Notes for Rubicon

“Crossing the Rubicon” is a general expression for taking a dangerous, decisive, and irreversible step.

Other Idioms and Phrases with Rubicon

Rubicon

see cross the rubicon.

Browse