aplomb

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See also: Aplomb

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French aplomb.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /əˈplʌm/, /əˈplɒm/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

aplomb (usually uncountable, plural aplombs)

  1. self-confidence; poise; composure.
    • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XV, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
      “Oh, Wooster,” he said, “I was talking to my mother a night or two ago.” “Oh, yes?” I said, with a slight wave of the hand intended to indicate that if he liked to talk to his mother anywhere, all over the house, he had my approval. “She tells me you are interested in mice.” I didn't like the trend the conversation was taking, but I preserved my aplomb. “Why, yes, fairly interested.” “She says she found you trying to catch one in my bedroom!”
    • 2000, Elizabeth Berg, Range of Motion:
      They have a seven-year-old son named Timothy, never called Timmy or Tim; a little scrawny guy who wears thick glasses already, and who tucks his striped T-shirts into his pants with the aplomb of a silver-templed CEO.
    • 2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport[1]:
      Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson put his below-par performance against Argentina behind him with a fine first-half showing, slotting four kicks from six and controlling his back-line with aplomb, while England's three-quarters were brimming with life and clinical with their execution.
    His nonchalance and aplomb during hard times have always been his best character trait.
  2. (ballet) The apparent elegance and precision exhibited by a confident, accomplished dancer.
  3. The perpendicular; perpendicularity.

Translations

Further reading


French

Etymology

From fil à plomb (plumb line).

Pronunciation

Noun

aplomb m (plural aplombs)

  1. vertical line, as measured with a plumb line
    Bien prendre l’aplomb.
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
  2. (by extension) stability, equilibrium, uprightness
    Ce mur tient bien son aplomb, a perdu son aplomb.
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
  3. (figurative) self-confidence; aplomb

Descendants

  • Catalan: aplom
  • English: aplomb
  • German: Aplomb
  • Italian: aplomb
  • Portuguese: aplomb
  • Russian: апломб (aplomb)

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from French aplomb.

Noun

aplomb m (uncountable)

  1. aplomb, self-confidence, poise

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from French aplomb.

Noun

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  1. aplomb; self-confidence
  2. (ballet) aplomb (elegance and precision exhibited by a dancer)

Synonyms