Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses/Oxen of the Sun/404

Annotations

Caramba!     (Spanish) Good grief! A Spanish exclamation of shock, surprise, anger or vexation. But the word caramba is a euphemism for the vulgar carajo (penis).

Merci     (French) Thank you.

Les petites femmes     (French) Little women. This term was used to allude to women of loose virtue.

Ex !     (Latin) Out! In the context of the bawdy version of the Eton Boat Song, this possibly refers to coitus interruptus, a method on contraception in which the man withdraws his penis from a woman's vagina prior to ejaculation, which takes place ex copula (outside of sexual union).

ad lib.     (Latin) to whatever extent; without restriction. An abbreviated form of ad libitum.