Rubicon
pronunciation
How to pronounce Rubicon in British English:
UK [ˈru:bɪkən]
How to pronounce Rubicon in American English:
US [ˈrubɪkɑn]
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- Noun:
- the boundary in ancient times between Italy and Gaul; Caesar's crossing it with his army in 49 BC was an act of war
- a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment
Word Origin
- Rubicon (n.)
- in phrase to cross (or pass) the Rubicon "take a decisive step," 1620s, a reference to a small stream to the Adriatic on the coast of northern Italy which in ancient times formed part of the southern boundary of Cisalpine Gaul; crossed by Caesar Jan. 10, 49 B.C.E., when he left his province to attack Pompey. The name is from Latin rubicundus "ruddy," in reference to the color of the soil on its banks.
Example
- 1. The rubicon project is the latest in a string of businesses started by frank addante .
- 2. The sounds return with their third album , crossing the rubicon .
- 3. Now moscow crosses the rubicon . It plays air alert card , which allows air defenses to fire on american aircraft .
- 4. Their entry into the war made them cross the rubicon and abandon isolationism forever .
- 5. For what eurozone governments have done is push investors across a crucial psychological rubicon and make them realise that assets that used to seem risk-free now carry credit risk .