expression Copy link Outline I. Pressing outII. The act of giving expression toIII. VerbalIV. Of the features, in works of art, etc.1. vultus, ūs (e. of the countenance)2. argūtiae, arum (movement, grace and life) • expression: I. Pressing out: expressio (e. g. mellis): Pall.: Vitr. II. The act of giving expression to: expr. by verb: joy beyond e., *gaudia majora quam quae (ut) verbis exprimi possint: v. to express. III. Verbal: vox, verba: v. word, language. Phr.: for we use the e., "to give up the ghost," nam agere animam [et efflare] dicimus, Cic. Tusc. 1, 9, 19: how often he uses the e., "both consul and Antony," quam crebro usurpat et consul et Antonius! Cic. Phil. 2, 28, 70: to make use of an e. of Solon's, ut Solonis dictum usurpem, Cic.: cf. Lucr. 1, 61. IV. Of the features, in works of art, etc.: 1. vultus, ūs (e. of the countenance): the countenance of Socrates wore always the same e., erat in Socrate semper idem v., Cic. Tusc. 3, 15, 31: v. features. 2. argūtiae, arum (movement, grace and life): he (Parrhasius) was the first to paint e. ("play") of countenance, primus argutias vultus dedit, Plin. 35, 10, 36 § 5 (elsewhere Plin. has animi perturbationes pingere, to paint e. of feeling, ib. § 19). Phr.: to sing with e., *apte ad animos hominum commovendos canere; animi motus (perturbationes) canendo bene exprimere: the head is the principal thing for e. (in a speaker), praecipuum est caput ad significationem, Quint. 11, 3, 68.