per se

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Without determination by or involvement of extraneous factors

   Without determination by or involvement of extraneous factors; by its very nature.

   • Near-synonyms: by definition, by nature, essentially, in essence, ipso facto, intrinsically; see also Thesaurus:intrinsically
   • Some people say that a hangover is caused by impurities in the drink, not by the alcohol per se.
   • They say he is a very man per se, And stands alone.
2. 2

   In a true or literal sense

   In a true or literal sense; as one would expect from the name or description.

   • It's not a museum per se, but they do have some interesting artefacts.
   • I take photographs. But I'm not a photographer. Per se. Right. Not per se. Right.
   • It's not a race against the competition per se: that's not how it feels to me when I'm working on a project.
3. 3

   As the principle of its own determination and positing itself.

   • Everything not applying per se in one of these two senses is called an accident.
   • Peter is per se alive, endowed with intellect, and the faculty of laughter, the artist is per se one who fashions objects. But Peter is per accidens a sufferer from influenza
4. ›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Not leaving discretion to the judge to take into account additional factors that could…

      Not leaving discretion to the judge to take into account additional factors that could rebut the judgment, deriving the qualification from the statute.

      • The law makes drunk driving illegal per se.
   2. 5

      Positing itself and being a principle of its own determination.

      • Hence, God would have to be the immediate per se cause of some natural motions, but not of all. But no known natural motion is without a natural motion as its immediate per se cause.
   3. 6

      That does not leave discretion to the judge to take into account additional factors that…

      That does not leave discretion to the judge to take into account additional factors that could rebut the judgment, deriving the qualification from the statute.

      • CBS (441 U.S. 1 [1979]) explains, the per se rule against price-fixing isn't to be taken literally.

The neighborhood