23 July 2018
volte-face
[volt-fahs, vohlt-; French vawltuh-fas]
noun, plural volte-face.
1. a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy.
Origin of volte-face
French, Italian
1810-1820; < French < Italian voltafaccia, equivalent to volta turn (see volt2) + faccia face
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for volte-face
Contemporary Examples
It leaves out only the actual reason for her abrupt, 11th-hour volte-face.
How Hillary’s Feeling About Caroline
Christopher Buckley
January 24, 2009
Historical Examples
It was the same as that which he had for Hincks’s volte-face. ‘
The Tribune of Nova Scotia
W. L. (William Lawson) Grant
For if the volte-face is general, the only embarrassment arises from not executing it.
The Angel of Pain
E. F. Benson
But Russia’s betrayal is not sufficient to account for the Serbian volte-face.
After the Rain
Sam Vaknin
Such a volte-face as this was not only palpably unjust, it was altogether too nimble a bit of gymnastics for Duplay to appreciate.
Tristram of Blent
Anthony Hope
What will justify such a volte-face and with what excuse can he repudiate the principles with which he justified his takeover?
The Origins of Contemporary France, Volume 4 (of 6)
Hippolyte A. Taine
The volte-face sounds more abrupt than it really was if it be remembered that he never had more than one object in view at a time.
Sonia Between two Worlds
Stephen McKenna
And for all their talk of freedom, Lennan could see the volte-face his friends would be making, if they only knew.
The Dark Flower
John Galsworthy
These four factors coalesced during 1948 and led to a reassessment of policy and, finally, to a volte-face.
Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965
Morris J. MacGregor, Jr.
Lastly, they have, in its highest development, the capacity to make a volte-face with grace and equanimity.
A Woman’s Impression of the Philippines
Mary H. (Mary Helen) Fee
Anagram
fecal vote
feta clove
to cave elf
Today’s quote
Evil can be oppressed without being mirrored. Oppressors can be resisted without being emulated. Enemies can be neutralized without being destroyed.
– Walter Wink
On this day
23 July 1892 – birthday of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. Although Selassie was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Rastafarians believe that he is the Messiah returned. Died 27 August 1975.
23 July 1934 – Australian batsman, Donald Bradman, scores 304 against England at Leeds, with 43 fours and 2 sixes. He is the only batsman to ever complete two treble centuries in Test cricket.
23 July 1935 – a B-25 Mitchell bomber carrying three people, crashes into the Empire State Building, New York City, killing 14 people. The accident was caused by heavy fog.
23 July 2011 – death of Amy Winehouse. English singer-songwriter. She was 27. Born 14 September 1983.