19 February 2016

agraffe or agrafe

[uh-graf]

noun

1. a small cramp iron.
2. a clasp, often richly ornamented, for clothing or armor.
3. a device, as a hook, for preventing vibration in the section of a piano string between the pin and the bridge.
4. (in classical architecture) a sculptural relief on the face of a keystone.
5. the wire that holds a cork in a champagne bottle.

Origin of agraffe

1660-1670; < French, variant of agrafe, noun derivative of agrafer to hook, equivalent to a- a-5+ grafe hook, cramp iron, probably < Germanic; see grape

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for agraffe

Historical Examples

What part the agraffe played in it (a medival beast I imagined) I could not know, could not guess.
The Crow’s Nest
Clarence Day, Jr.

Anagram

ear gaff
fag fear

Today’s quote

For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

– William Shakespeare

On this day

19 February 1950 – Cyprus independence is granted with the signing of a joint agreement by Britain, Greece and Turkey.

19 February 1980 – death of Ronald Belford ‘Bon’ Scott, Scottish-born Australian rock musician. Most famous as the lead-singer of legendary hard rock band, AC/DC. Scott died after choking on his own vomit following a heavy drinking session. Born 9 July 1946.

19 February 2006 – Hamas leader, Ismail Haniya, becomes Prime Minister of Palestine following Palestinian Legislative Council elections.

19 February 2008 – Fidel Castro retires as leader of Cuba after 49 years at the helm, following the revolution he led in 1959. At 81 years old, Castro had been unwell.