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Brewer's: Carte de Visite
(French). A visiting card, a photographic likeness on a card for the albums of friends, etc. This custom originated, in 1857, with the Duke of Parma. Source: Dictionary of Phrase and…Brewer's: Couleur de Rose
(French). Highly coloured; too favourably considered; overdrawn with romantic embellishments, like objects viewed through glass tinted with rose pink. Source: Dictionary of Phrase and…Brewer's: Coup de Grace
The finishing stroke. When criminals were tortured by the wheel or otherwise, the executioner gave him a coup de grâce, or blow on the head or breast, to put him out of his misery. “The…Brewer's: Coup de Main
(French). A sudden stroke; a stratagem whereby something is effected suddenly. Sometimes called a coup only, as “The coup [the scheme] did not answer.” “London is not to be taken by a coup…Brewer's: Coup de Soleil
(French). A sun-stroke, any malady produced by exposure to the sun. Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894Coup de TheatreCoup de Pied de l'Ane A B C D E F G…Brewer's: Coup de Theatre
An unforeseen or unexpected turn in a drama to produce a sensational effect. In ordinary life, something planned for effect. Burke and his dagger was meant for a coup de théâtre, but it…Brewer's: OEil de Boeuf
(L'). A large reception-room (salle) in the palace of Versailles, lighted by round windows so called. The ceiling, decorated by Van der Meulen, contained likenesses of the children of…Brewer's: Oignement de Bretaigne
(French). A sound drubbing. Oignement is a noun corruptly formed from hogner. In Lyons boys called the little cuffs which they gave each other hognes. Frére Eleuthere a trenchoisons. Et j'…Brewer's: Huon de Bordeaux
encounters in Syria an old follower of the family named Gerasmes (2 syl.), whom he asks the way to Babylon. Gerasmes told him the shortest and best way was through a wood sixteen leagues…Brewer's: Façon de Parler
Idiomatic or usual form of speech, not meant to be offensive. I once told a waiter in Norway that the meat he brought me for breakfast was not sufficiently cooked; and he bluntly told me…Trending
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