Meanings of latin rudiments in anglès

The nature and needs of the adolescent mind demand bread and meat, while Latin rudiments are husks.

Certainly, sir, as you wish it, I shall find it a delightful task to initiate your son in the mysteries of the Latin rudiments.

This was certainly very amusing, considering Smith's absolute ignorance of even the Latin rudiments, but the boys around him did not venture to contradict him.