Definitions for rubicon
ˈru bɪˌkɒnru·bi·con

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rubiconnoun

   the boundary in ancient times between Italy and Gaul; Caesar's crossing it with his army in 49 BC was an act of war

2. Rubicon, point of no returnnoun

   a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment

Wiktionary(3.75 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rubiconnoun

   An ancient Latin name for a small river in northern Italy which flows into the Adriatic Sea. It marked the boundary between the Roman province of Gaul and the Roman heartland. Its crossing by Julius Caesar in 49 BC began a civil war.

2. rubiconnoun

   A limit that when exceeded, or an action that when taken, cannot be reversed.

3. Etymology: From Rubicon. See cross the Rubicon.

Webster Dictionary(1.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rubiconnoun

   a small river which separated Italy from Cisalpine Gaul, the province alloted to Julius Caesar

Freebase(4.25 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rubicon

   The Rubicon is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, about 80 kilometres long, running from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea through the southern Emilia-Romagna region, between the towns of Rimini and Cesena. The Latin word rubico comes from the adjective "rubeus", meaning "red". The river was so named because its waters are colored red by mud deposits. It was key to protecting Rome from civil war. The idiom "Crossing the Rubicon" means to pass a point of no return, and refers to Julius Caesar's army's crossing of the river in 49 BC, which was considered an act of insurrection. Because the course of the river has changed much since then, it is impossible to confirm exactly where the Rubicon flowed when Caesar and his legions crossed it, even though most evidence links it to the river officially so named. The river is perhaps most known as the place where Julius Caesar uttered the famous phrase "alea iacta est" - the die is cast.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Rubicon

   rōōb′i-kon, n. a stream of Central Italy, forming the boundary in the republican period of ancient Roman history between the province of Gallia Cisalpina and Italia proper.—Pass the Rubicon, to take a decisive, irrevocable step, as Julius Cæsar's crossing this stream, the limit of his province—a virtual declaration of war against the republic.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rubicon

   a famous river of Italy, associated with Julius Cæsar, now identified with the modern Fiumecino, a mountain torrent which springs out of the eastern flank of the Apennines and enters the Adriatic N. of Ariminum; marked the boundary line between Roman Italy and Cisalpine Gaul, a province administered by Cæsar; when he crossed it in 49 B.C. it was tantamount to a declaration of war against the Republic, hence the expression "to cross the Rubicon" is applied to the decisive step in any adventurous undertaking.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. rubicon

   A small stream of Central Italy, falling into the Adriatic, has obtained a proverbial celebrity from the well-known story of its passage by Cæsar, who by crossing this river—which, at the outbreak of the civil war between him and Pompey, formed the southern boundary of his province—virtually declared war against the republic. Hence the phrase to “cross the Rubicon” has come to mean, to take an irrevocable step.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. rubicon

   Song lyrics by rubicon -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by rubicon on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Boundary
   • Dividing Line

How to pronounce rubicon?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say rubicon in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of rubicon in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of rubicon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of rubicon in a Sentence

1. Paul Massaro:

   We've been giving him a free pass for over a decade, so why would Putin not think he could get away with this? of course the Olympics are part of this. And here we are again, and this time, he's crossed the Rubicon in the most profound way.

2. Eyal Poleg:

   Written between 1539 and 1549, they were covered and disguised with thick paper in 1600. until recently, it was widely assumed that The Reformation caused a complete break, a Rubicon moment when people stopped being Catholics and accepted Protestantism, rejected saints, and replaced Latin with English.

3. Chris Farrell:

   I really believe we've crossed the Rubicon on this problem, older workers just will be looked at differently - we've crossed a line and can't go back.

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