contretemps
/ˈkɒntrətɒ̃
/noun (plural same /ˈkɒntrətɒ̃z/)
1A minor dispute or disagreement: she had occasional contretemps with her staff...
- Then you find yourself in the midst of a minor contretemps, and everyone gets more readers.
- ‘Apart from a little contretemps with the lighting backstage and a couple of cases of hay fever, there were no major problems,’ Nicholas relates.
- I frankly like the guy, after our little contretemps.
Synonyms
argument, quarrel, squabble, altercation, clash, fight;
disagreement, difference of opinion, dispute, dissension
informal tiff, set-to, run-in, spat
British informal row, barney
British informal, Football afters
Scottish informal rammy
1.1An unexpected and unfortunate occurrence: the hotel had to deal with more than one contretemps before the end of the night...
- Its happy consummation is delayed over five volumes by intrigues, contretemps, and misunderstandings, many of them designed to exhibit the virtues and failings of Camilla, or to test and improve her character.
- A contretemps involving mistaken identities reminiscent of the opera lightheartedly weaves through the antics of farmers, dwellers, and other rural folk.
- Among the many characters is Professor Godbole, the detached and saintly Brahman who is the innocent cause of the contretemps, and who makes his final appearance in supreme tranquillity at the festival of the Hindu temple.
Synonyms
mishap, misadventure, accident, mischance, unfortunate occurrence, awkward moment;
problem, difficulty
Origin
Late 17th century (originally as a fencing term, denoting a thrust made at an inopportune moment): French, originally 'motion out of time', from contre- 'against' + temps 'time'.