† maladressen.
Obsolete.
Lack of dexterity or tact; awkwardness.
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the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > discourtesy > [noun] > tactlessness
maladresse1804
tactlessness1882
1804 ‘E. de Acton’ Tale without Title II. 192 Without the least maladresse, they visited in the family, as if nothing material had occurred.
1856 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire V. xlii. 25 His behaviour was in striking contrast both with the reserve of Augustus and the mal-address of Tiberius.
1870 R. Broughton Red as Rose I. viii. 158 An unlucky footman..had the maladresse to drop three spoons that he was carrying upon a tray.
1895 W. Archer Theatr. ‘World’ 1894 98 Have been known to commit similar, and perhaps even greater maladresses, in their first attempts at playwriting.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1804- swing-bridge
- swing-by
- swing-cart
- swing-chair
- swing-coat
- swing-conic
- swing-door
- swing-down
- swing-ellipse
- swing-ellipsoid
- swing-forward
- swing-front
- swing-gate
- swing-glass
- swing-handle
- swing-jack
- swing-jointed
- swing-light
- swing-men
- swing-minded
- swing-out
- swing-over
- swing-pair
- swing-quadric
- swing-radius