Latin Word of the Week 006 rē īnfectā - without achieving one's purpose (Patreon)

Latin WotW 006

rē īnfectā - without achieving one’s purpose

Plūrimam salūtem impertiō! I want to share with you the idiom rē īnfectā, which means “without having achieved one’s purpose.”

This is the ablative absolute of rēs īnfecta, a thing not done, with in- negating facta.

Caesar has a couple of quotes:

Ita rē īnfectā in oppidum revertērunt.

...triduum morātus paucīs in oppugnātiōne āmissīs rē īnfectā inde discessit.

I’m reminded of trying to go to the post office in Italy to try to buy stamps. Duās hōrās ibi morātus tandem rē īnfectā inde discessī ac domum revertī.

Now it’s your turn! Use rē īnfectā in a sentence of your own.

Valētō!