claque
/klak
/ /klɑːk /noun
1A group of sycophantic followers: the President was surrounded by a claque of scheming bureaucrats...
- Still, with a sycophantic media claque in close support, his is the dominant voice in public discourse.
- How on earth could we have put this scheming, mendacious little man and his miserable claque back in office for another three years?
- In even earlier times, politicians - even party leaders - used to address open public meetings in their election campaigns, not just carefully screened, ticket-only claques.
2A group of people hired to applaud (or heckle) a performer or public speaker.This has been attributed to the workings of the claque of a rival singer; but whatever the truth of the matter, it was Albani's first and last appearance in that theatre....
- No claque of paid liars can cheapen the sacrifice and nobility of the cause.
- Perhaps it was a claque: a paid band of willing clappers.
Origin
Mid 19th century: French, from claquer 'to clap'. The practice of paying members of an audience for their support originated at the Paris opera.