quidam

An Elementary Latin Dictionary

quīdam quaedam, quoddam, and (as subst.) quiddam, pronindef.—Sing., a certain, a certain one, somebody, one, something: quidam ex advocatis: quaedam certa vox: unius cuiusdam operis (homo), some single craft: Accurrit quidam, notus mi nomine tantum, H.: quodam tempore, once upon a time.—As substn.: quiddam divinum, a something: quiddam mali, somewhat: Quaedam, si credis consultis, mancipat usus, some things, H.— Plur, some, certain, certain ones: excesserunt urbe quidam, alii, etc., L.: quaedam quaestiones: quibusdam Andriorum persuasit, etc., L.—With a subst.or adj.

, to give vagueness or moderation to an assertion, a certain, a kind of, as one might say: dicendi singularis quaedam facultas: te natura excelsum, quendam et altum genuit: timiditate ingenuā quādam: quasi quaedam Socratica medicina.