coup de grâce

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 2 French 2.1 Pronunciation 2.2 Noun

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

Late 17th century, from French coup de grâce (“‘stroke of grace’”). Originally referring to a merciful stroke putting a fatally wounded person out of misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after facing a firing squad.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ku də grɑs/
• IPA: /ku də grɑː/ (hyperforeign)—Some English speakers, aware that some final consonants are dropped in French, overcompensate by dropping the final /s/ sound in grâce, making this sound like French coup de gras (“stroke of grease”). This mispronunciation is quickly becoming ubiquitous and is being popularized by the media (e.g., it occurs twice in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Volume 2).

[edit] Noun

coup de grâce (plural coups de grâce)

1. A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.

[edit] Translations

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[edit] French

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ku də ɡʁaːs/
•  Audio (FR)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

coup de grâce m. (plural coups de grâce)

1. Stroke of grace (or mercy).