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Posted By: wwh socially ugsome - 02/25/03 02:50 PM
If you are verbally ugsome, you have committed an"

contretemps [n. KON-tru-tan] Accident, misadventure, mischance, mishap, and hitch are all near
synonyms of contretemps. A contretemps is an unexpected mishap or unforeseen event that
disrupts the normal course of things. This French word can also mean an argument, dispute, or
disagreement. Example: "Jim and Rob had a little contretemps at the game last night and still are not speaking."
Contretemps is a French word made up of contre (against) and temps (time) which is
derived from the Latin tempus. This noun has been describing embarrassing accidents and
awkward clashes since the late 1600s. This word also has a specific meaning in dance terminology.
It is a step danced on the unaccented portion of the beat, particularly in ballet.


Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: socially ugsome - 02/25/03 03:14 PM
Contretemps is a French word made up of contre (against) and temps (time)

bit like syncopation, what?

and not a bit ugsome to my ears...

Posted By: wwh Re: socially ugsome - 02/25/03 04:04 PM
No, etaoin. More like time I was eating in lab cafeteria with a couple prim ladies
and a brilliant and cultured bacteriologist, who had spent many months in
Astralia during WWII. He said:"Hey Bill, pass me the horsecock" meaning
the sausage. That was a contretemps.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: socially ugsome - 02/26/03 12:51 AM
And a faux pas. And a gaffe.

Posted By: wwh Re: socially ugsome - 02/26/03 01:05 AM
Faux pas and gaffes are more easily forgiven than contretemps.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: socially ugsome - 02/26/03 01:25 AM
Depends upon how pas the faux is, wouldn't you say, wwh?

Posted By: wofahulicodoc a little Ugly - 02/26/03 01:30 AM
Does Ugolino, from Dante's Divine Comedy, share in this root? It's a proper name to be sure, but it did come from somewhere.

Posted By: wwh Re: a little Ugly - 02/26/03 01:35 AM
Sounds as though "Ugolino" is "little Ugo" and only a little be ugsome.

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