8 January 2018
contretemps
[kon-truh-tahn; French kawntruh-tahn]
noun, plural contretemps [kon-truh-tahnz; French kawntruh-tahn] (Show IPA)
1. an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance:
He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink.
Origin of contretemps
1675-1685; < French, equivalent to contre- counter- + temps time (< Latin tempus); perhaps alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle French contrestant, present participle of contrester to oppose; see contrast
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for contretemps Expand
Contemporary Examples
That seemed like it was the end of the matter but then new life was breathed into the contretemps on Monday.
A Cuomo-Christie Proxy War?
Ben Jacobs
December 3, 2013
The contretemps escalated during a commercial break when Khrushchev was handed a note by one of his advisers.
Nikita Khrushchev, Talk Show Guest
Stephen Battaglio
November 20, 2010
Carter reveals that Jay made weird, borderline mentorly calls to Kimmel long before the Conan contretemps began.
Secrets of the Late Night War
Bryan Curtis
November 8, 2010
But the Web contretemps has had an impact all the same, particularly on the political right.
The GOP’s Supreme Problem
Reihan Salam
May 27, 2009
Historical Examples
He determined to take no notice of the contretemps, but return boldly to the attack.
Masterpieces of Mystery
Various
Not only was there no contretemps, but all went off well and pleasantly.
Diary And Notes Of Horace Templeton, Esq.
Charles James Lever
It was an aggravation of annoyance to have her as a witness of these contretemps.
The Girls of St. Olave’s
Mabel Mackintosh
A contretemps less likely to occur at the Choctaw Chief, and there stayed they.
The Death Shot
Mayne Reid
I will write all the pleasant things, but for the jokes—the contretemps, no!
Pixie O’Shaughnessy
Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey
There are no contretemps, no unhappy moments, no jealousies, no heart-burnings.
Betty Vivian
L. T. Meade
Anagram
cement ports
most percent
centre stomp
protects men
Today’s quote
Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.
– Elvis Presley
On this day
8 January 1935 – birth of Elvis Aaron Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. Died 16 August 1977.
8 January 1947 – birth of David Bowie, British musician and actor, born David Robert Jones. Died 11 January 2016.
8 January 1959 – Fidel Castro’s rebel forces take control of Cuba. Castro eventually became President and ruled the nation until 2011.
8 January 1964 – US President Lyndon B. Johnson introduces legislation that results in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, otherwise known as the War on Poverty, in an effort to reduce the increasing poverty rate, which at that time was around 19%. Through this a number of poverty-reduction strategies were implemented, including Social Security Act 1965, Food Stamp Act of 1964, Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965), Community Action Program, Job Corps, and Volunteers in Services to America. Within 10 years the poverty rate had been reduced to around 11%. In 2014, the rate had risen to around 15%.