coup de grâce
/ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs
/ /ku də ɡʀas/noun (plural coups de grâce pronounced same)
1A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal: he administered the coup de grâce with a knife...
- Of course, the final coup de grace will be my roommate.
- This is the coup de grace, my shot heard around the world, my crowning glory.
- The final coup de grâce here, along with jiggling jello and super-fake cakes, is a self-serve soft ice cream dispenser..
Synonyms
death blow, finishing blow, killing, dispatch;
kiss of death
informal KO, kayo
1.1An action or event that serves as the culmination of a bad or deteriorating situation: Howarth delivered the coup de grâce with a penalty two minutes from time
Origin
French, literally 'stroke of grace'.