coup
noun: 1. a highly successful, unexpected stroke, act, or move; a clever action or accomplishment. 2. short for coup d'état. 3. a brilliant and successful stroke or action. 4. a brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful stroke or act: She pulled off quite a coup when she snagged the usually reclusive author for an interview. Among the Plains Indians of North America: a brave or reckless deed performed in battle by a single warrior, as touching or striking an enemy warrior without sustaining injury oneself. verb: (chiefly Scotland) overturn, upset. Examples: It was a major coup when they got the Vice President to appear on their show for an interview. Winning that big contract was a real coup. Synonyms: accomplishment, achievement, acquirement, attainment, baby, success, triumph. Origin:
First Known Use: Noun: 1791. Verb: circa 1572. History and Etymology: Noun: French, blow, stroke — more at cope entry 1. Verb: Middle English, to strike, from Anglo-French couper — more at cope entry 1. coup d'état: 1. a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force. 2. a sudden violent or illegal seizure of government. 3. a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics especially : the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group: a military coup d'état of the dictator. Related Words: coup, overthrow, rebellion, revolt, revolution, putsch, takeover. Synonyms: overthrow, rebellion, revolution, uprising. Origin: 1640–50; < French: literally, stroke concerning the state. French, literally: stroke of state. Note: A quick and decisive seizure of governmental power by a strong military or political group. In contrast to a revolution, a coup d'état, or coup, does not involve a mass uprising. Rather, in the typical coup, a small group of politicians or generals arrests the incumbent leaders, seizes the national radio and television services, and proclaims itself in power. Coup d'état is French for “stroke of the state” or “blow to the government.” -- Dictionary.com. coup de grâce: 1. a death blow, especially one delivered mercifully to end suffering. 2. any finishing or decisive stroke. 3. a mortal or finishing blow, esp one delivered as an act of mercy to a sufferer. 4. a final or decisive stroke. 5. a death blow or death shot administered to end the suffering of one mortally wounded. 6. a decisive finishing blow, act, or event: The decision to cut funding is the coup de grâce to the governor's proposal. Examples: The legislature's decision to cut funding has administered the coup de grâce to the governor's proposal. the prosecutor presented his coupe de grâce—a videotape of the beating. Related Words: blow, clincher, comeuppance, defeat, kill, knockout, quietus, deathblow. Synonyms: capper, clincher, crusher, topper. Origin: literally, blow of mercy. First Known Use: 1699. History and Etymology: French coup de grâce, literally, stroke of mercy. Idioms for coup: 1. "count coup," (among Plains Indians of North America) a. to perform a coup. b. to recount or relate the coups one has performed. Related Words for coup: action, plot, revolution, overthrow, stratagem, accomplishment, upset, stroke, exploit, stunt, deed, feat. Origin of coup: 1640–50; < French: literally, blow, stroke, Old French colp < Late Latin colpus, Latin colaphus < Greek kólaphos. 1350–1400; Middle English coupe to pay for < Old Norse kaupa to buy, barter; cognate with Old English cēapian, German kaufen. See cheap. C18: from French: blow, from Latin colaphus blow with the fist, from Greek kolaphos.
Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4.
First Known Use: Noun: 1791. Verb: circa 1572. History and Etymology: Noun: French, blow, stroke — more at cope entry 1. Verb: Middle English, to strike, from Anglo-French couper — more at cope entry 1. coup d'état: 1. a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force. 2. a sudden violent or illegal seizure of government. 3. a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics especially : the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group: a military coup d'état of the dictator. Related Words: coup, overthrow, rebellion, revolt, revolution, putsch, takeover. Synonyms: overthrow, rebellion, revolution, uprising. Origin: 1640–50; < French: literally, stroke concerning the state. French, literally: stroke of state. Note: A quick and decisive seizure of governmental power by a strong military or political group. In contrast to a revolution, a coup d'état, or coup, does not involve a mass uprising. Rather, in the typical coup, a small group of politicians or generals arrests the incumbent leaders, seizes the national radio and television services, and proclaims itself in power. Coup d'état is French for “stroke of the state” or “blow to the government.” -- Dictionary.com. coup de grâce: 1. a death blow, especially one delivered mercifully to end suffering. 2. any finishing or decisive stroke. 3. a mortal or finishing blow, esp one delivered as an act of mercy to a sufferer. 4. a final or decisive stroke. 5. a death blow or death shot administered to end the suffering of one mortally wounded. 6. a decisive finishing blow, act, or event: The decision to cut funding is the coup de grâce to the governor's proposal. Examples: The legislature's decision to cut funding has administered the coup de grâce to the governor's proposal. the prosecutor presented his coupe de grâce—a videotape of the beating. Related Words: blow, clincher, comeuppance, defeat, kill, knockout, quietus, deathblow. Synonyms: capper, clincher, crusher, topper. Origin: literally, blow of mercy. First Known Use: 1699. History and Etymology: French coup de grâce, literally, stroke of mercy. Idioms for coup: 1. "count coup," (among Plains Indians of North America) a. to perform a coup. b. to recount or relate the coups one has performed. Related Words for coup: action, plot, revolution, overthrow, stratagem, accomplishment, upset, stroke, exploit, stunt, deed, feat. Origin of coup: 1640–50; < French: literally, blow, stroke, Old French colp < Late Latin colpus, Latin colaphus < Greek kólaphos. 1350–1400; Middle English coupe to pay for < Old Norse kaupa to buy, barter; cognate with Old English cēapian, German kaufen. See cheap. C18: from French: blow, from Latin colaphus blow with the fist, from Greek kolaphos.
Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4.