contretemps
A contretemps is a badly-timed event or an embarrassing situation. Did you see the outfielders run into each other and the shortstop slip and fall in the mud? Don't laugh — we all have our contretemps.
The word contretemps, pronounced "CON-tre-tahn," is French — contre means "against" and temps means "time." A mishap, perhaps caused by bad timing, is one kind of contretemps. Another is an argument or conflict, especially an awkward one. A contretemps can result from a misunderstanding or miscommunication. It's also a term for a blunder in both ballet and fencing.
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an awkward clash
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Vocabulary lists containing contretemps
Take the time to learn these words that contain either the Latin root temp or the Greek root chron, both of which mean "time."
Set during World War II, this novel traces the friendship and rivalry between two boys at boarding school.
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