Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
A small river in northeastern Italy which flowed into the Adriatic Sea marking the boundary between the Roman province of Gaul and the Roman heartland. Its crossing by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C.E. began a civil war.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
The same river in the present day, identified with a river previously named Fiumicino.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A locality in the Shire of Murrindindi, central eastern Victoria, Australia.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative letter-case form of rubicon (“a limit that when exceeded, or an action that when taken, cannot be reversed; especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A limit that when surpassed cannot be returned from, or an action that when taken cannot be reversed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: point of no return
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: card-games, games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Especially in bezique and piquet: to defeat a player who has not achieved the rubicon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: card-games, games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: point of no return
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: line, dividing line, demarcation, contrast
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
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: boundary, bound, bounds
History
From Latin Rubicō, Rubicōn (“the Rubicon”), possibly from rubeus (“red, reddish”), from rubeō (“to be red”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h1rewdh- (“red”), an allusion to the colour of the river caused by mud deposits.
The noun is derived from the phrase cross the Rubicon (“to make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences”). Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon, a small river in northeastern Italy, on 10 January 49 B.C.E., indicated his intention to start a civil war with Pompey. Rubicon is derived from Latin Rubicō, Rubicōn (“the Rubicon”), possibly from rubeus (“red, reddish”), from rubeō (“to be red”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h1rewdh- (“red”), an allusion to the colour of the river caused by mud deposits. The verb is derived from the noun.
Across languages
32 source translations are retained for this English entry.
