The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (22 page)

czar (zahr), tsar RUSSIAN [from tsar,
ultimately from Latin Caesar emperor]
noun the emperor of Russia; also used
more widely of any high-ranking official who wields considerable authority:
"Metrov repeated a saying that had reached
him through a most trustworthy source,
reported as having been uttered on this
subject by the Czar and one of the ministers."
(Leo Tolsto),, Anna Karenina, 1874-76).

da capo (dah kapo, da Up) ITALIAN
[from the head] adverb phrase in
music, repeat from the beginning: "It
was one of his favorite caravansaries, and so
silent and swirt would be the service and so
delicately choice the food, that he regretted
the hunger that must be appeased by the
`dead perfection' of the place's cuisine.
Even the music there seemed to be always
playing da capo" (0. Henry, Strictly
Business, 1910). "adjective phrase of or
relating to a passage of music to be
repeated from the beginning. 'abbreviated form D.C., d.c.

d'accord (dakor) FRENCH [of accord]
interjection all right, OK.

dacha (dacha), datcha RUSSIAN [grant
of land] noun (plural dachas, datchas)
in Russia, a country cottage or villa
used for summer retreats and other
occasions: "The count and his family
planned to spend the summer at their
dacha in the hills."

dachshund (dakshund, daksant) GERMAN [badger dog] noun a breed of
long-bodied, short-legged dogs of German origin: "The black cat was dozing in the sunlight at her feet, and Joe's
dachshund was scratching a hole under
the scarlet geraniums and dreaming of
badgers" (Willa Cather, Troll Garden and
Other Stories, 1905).

dacoit (dakoit), dakoit HINDI [from
dakait, itself from daka gang-robbery]
noun a bandit of India or Myanmar
(Burma), usually a member of a gang
of such robbers; also used more
widely of any armed robber or thug.

Dada (dahdah) FRENCH [hobbyhorse]
noun a European movement in art
and literature of the early 20th century, which rejected artistic and cultural conventions in favor of absurdity
and incongruity.

dado (ado) ITALIAN [die, cube] noun
(plural dados, dadoes) (in architecture) the pedestal of a column
between the cornice and the base,
or alternatively the lower part of an
interior wall when decorated differently from the upper part: A visitor
... would, if his taste lay that way, admire the wall decoration of Lincrusta Walton
in plum color and bronze lacquer, with
dodo and cornice; the ormolu consoles in
the corners; the vases on pillar pedestals of
veined marble with bases of polished black
wood, one on each side of the window..."
(George Bernard Shaw, You Never Can
Tell, 1898).

dahl See DAL.

Dail (cloil), Dail Eirann (doil airan)
IRISH GAELIC [assembly (of Ireland)]
noun the lower house of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

dal (dahl), dahl HINDI [split pulses]
noun (in Indian cooking) spiced and
often pureed legumes.

Dalai Lama (dali lahma, dala lahma)
MONGOLIAN [from dalai ocean and
lama priest] noun the spiritual head
of Tibetan Buddhism: "The Dalai Lama
appeared briefly before the cameras after
meeting the queen."

dal segno (dial snyo) ITALIAN [from
the sign] adverb phrase (in music),
repeat from the sign indicating the
beginning of a particular passage.
-abbreviatedform D.S.

dame d'honneur (dam doner) FRENCH
[lady of honor] noun phrase a lady-inwaiting or maid of honor.

damnosa hereditas (damnosa hereditas) LATIN [ruinous inheritance] noun

phrase an unrewarding or otherwise
burdensome inheritance: "To be left the
guardian of Mameena! Talk of a `damnosa
hereditas,' a terrible and mischievous inheritance why, this was the worst that ever
I heard of" (H. Rider Haggard, Child of
Storm, 1913).

damnum (damnam) LATIN [damage,
loss] noun (plural damna, damna) legal term for a loss, wrong, or damage
sustained by a person or property.

dan (dan) JAPANESE noun one of
several advanced grades of proficiency
in judo, karate, and other martial
arts; also applied to a person who has
attained one of these grades: "Sam
became a first dan in karate at the tender
age of eight."

danse macabre (dahns makahbra)
FRENCH [macabre dance] noun phrase
(plural danses macabres) the dance
of death: "The danse macabre, with its
prancing skeletons and lamenting mortals, was a favorite subject of medieval
artists."

danseur (donser) FRENCH [from danser
to dance] noun a male ballet dancer.
-noun, feminine danseuse (donsuz) a
ballerina.

dariole (dareeol) FRENCH [custard
tart] noun a small cooking mold
shaped like a flowerpot; a sweet or
savory dish cooked and sometimes
served in such a mold.

dashiki (dasheekee) WEST AFRICAN
[probably from Yoruban dansiki] noun
a loose, brightly colored pullover shirt
of a type widely worn in West Africa
and the United States.

data (ita, data, dahta) LATIN [plural of datum, neuter past participle
of dare to give] noun facts, details,
information: "We are left to interpret
the vast amounts of data produced by
computers."

daube (dob) FRENCH noun a stew
of braised meat cooked with vegetables, wine, herbs, and spices: "The king
opened his eyes with delight, and, while
cutting some of thefaisan en daube, which
was being handed to him, he said: That
is a dish I should very much like to taste,
Monsieur du Vallon. Is it possible! a whole
lamb!"' (Alexandre Dumas, Louise de la
Valliere, 1850).

dauphin (dofan(g), dofan(g)) FRENCH
[from Old French daulphin, originally
a family name adopted as a title of
the lords of Viennois or Dauphine]
noun title borne by the eldest son
of a king of France: "Yes, my friend, it is
too trueyour eyes is look-in' at this very
moment on the pore disappeared Dauphin,
Looy the Seventeen, son of Looy the Sixteen and Marry Antonette." (Mark Twain,
Huckleberry Finn, 1884). 'noun, feminine dauphine (dofeen) title borne by
a dauphin's wife.

D.C., d. C. See DA CAPO.

debacle (deebahkal, deebakal), debacle (daybkal) FRENCH [collapse,
from de'bacler to clear] noun a comprehensive disaster, fiasco, or defeat:
"But it may yet be asked, how has the
solid basalt been moved? Geologistsformerly would have brought into play
the violent action of some overwhelming
debacle; but in this case such a supposition would have been quite inadmissible..." (Charles Darwin, Voyage of
the Beagle, 1839).

de bene esse (dee bena), esay) LATIN
[of well-being] adverb phrase valid for
the time being (a legal term used specificall), of evidence taken in advance
from a person who is expected to be
too ill to come to court personally,
to be referred to if he or she is in fact
unable to attend court when the case
eventually gets under way).

debonair (debonair) FRENCH [from
de'bonnaire good-natured, itself from
de bon aire of good nature, of good
family] adjective suave, urbane,
nonchalant, carefree: Ah! what avails
that she was fair, / Luminous, blithe,
and debonair? / The storm has stripped
her of her leaves; l The Lily floats no
longer! She bath perished" (William
Wordsworth, "The Egyptian Maid,"
1835).

debris (dabree, daybree),
debris FRENCH [from Middle French
de'briser to break to pieces] noun (plural debris or debris, dabreez, daybreez,
daybrcez) fragments, remnants,
wreckage, ruins, rubbish: "We examined the debris of the old shanty scattered
about by the storm."

debut (daybyoo, dayboo), debut
FRENCH [beginning, from debuter to
make the first stroke] noun a first
appearance (in the theater or in society,
for example): "Thenceforth, certain of
herself, certain of her friends in the house,
certain of her voice and her success, fearing
nothing, Carlotta flung herself into her part
without restraint of modesty ... She was
no longer Margarita, she was Carmen. She
was applauded all the more; and her debut
with Faust seemed about to bring her a new
success, when suddenly ... a terrible thing
happened" (Gaston Leroux, Phantom of
the Opera, 1911). 'verb to make a first
appearance or to introduce something
or someone in public for the first
time.

debutante (dcbyootont) FRENCH [present participle of debuter to make the
first stroke] noun, feminine a young
woman making her first appearance
(in society or on the stage, for example): "Some weeks elapse; and, during
this interval, the public, at a loss where to
procure an opinion of the debutante, have
necessarily no opinion of him at all for the
nonce" (H. W. Longfellow, "The Spanish
Student," 1842-43). -noun, masculine
debutant (debyootant) a person making a debut.

declasse (dayclas ) FRENCH [degraded,
past participle of declasser to degrade]
adjective lower, inferior, degraded.
noun a person who has been degraded
or reduced in status or social standing.
'"noun, feminine declassee.

decolletage (da)-kolatahzh, dekolatahzh, davkoltahzh, dekoltahzh)
FRENCH [low-cut neck, from decolleter to expose the neck] noun a
low-cut neckline of a woman's dress,
that leaves the shoulders and neck
exposed: "He could not help but admire
her decolletage as she made her grand
entrance into the ballroom."

decollete (daykolatty, dckolat )
FRENCH [low-necked, past participle
of decolleter to expose the neck] adjective having a low-cut neckline or
wearing a low-cut neckline that leaves
the neck and shoulders exposed.

decor (daykor, dekor), decor FRENCH
[decoration, from decorer to decorate]
noun decoration, furnishings or (in
the theater) the setting or scenery:
"The decor needs some attention but otherwise the apartment is ready for immediate
occupation."

decorum (dikoram) LATIN [neuter
singular of decorus seemly, from decor
beauty, grace] noun propriety, good
conduct, polite behavior, or seemliness: `Miss Churchill, however, being of
age, and with the full command of her fortune though her fortune bore no proportion to the family-estate was not to
be dissuaded from the marriage, and it
took place, to the infinite mort)cation of
Mr. and Mrs. Churchill, who threw her off
with due decorum" (Jane Austen, Emma,
1816).

decoupage (daykoopazh), decoupage FRENCH [act of cutting out, from
decouper to cut up] noun an artistic
technique in which pictures or patterns
are constructed out of pieces of cut-out
paper, fabric, or other material.

decoy (deekoi, dikoi) DUTCH [from
de kooi the cage] noun someone or
something that is used as a lure: "Now
harkee, mate; you will not beg, you will not
rob; so be it. But I will tell you what you
WILL do.You will play decoy whilst I beg"
(MarkTwain, The Prince and the Pauper,
1882). verb to lure or entice through
the use of a decoy.

decrescendo (deekrashendo) ITALIAN
[decreasing, present participle of
decrescere to decrease] noun (plural decrescendos (in music) an
instruction for a particular passage
to be played with a gradual reduction
in volume: "After the gradual cessation
of all sound and movement on the faithful river, only the ringing of ships' bells
is heard, mysterious and muffled in the
white vapour from London Bridge right
down to the Nore, for miles and miles in
a decrescendo tinkling, to where the estu

ary broadens out into the North Sea..."
(Joseph Conrad, The Mirror of the Sea,
1906). 'adverb to be played with
decreasing volume.

de facto (di fakto, day fakto) LATIN
[from the act] adverb phrase actually,
in reality. 'adjective phrase actual, in
effect: "Although neither side had declared
war, a de facto state of war between the two
countries existed."

Defensor Fidei See FIDEI DEFENSOR.

de fide (day feeday) LATIN [from faith]
noun phrase as a matter of faith, of the
faith.

degage (daygah) FRENCH [past participle of degager to set free] adjective
nonchalant, carefree, relaxed, unconstrained, disinterested.

de gustibus non est disputandum (day
goostibas non est dispyootandam)
LATIN [concerning tastes, it is not to
be disputed] noun there is no point
arguing about other people's tastes:
"One of the most deplorably false of them is
the antique adage, De gustibus non est disputandum there should be no disputing
about taste" (Edgar Allan Poe, Ballads
and Other Poems, 1842). -abbreviated
form de gustibus.

de haut en has (da o ton ba) FRENCH
[from top to bottom] adverb phrase
arrogantly, contemptuously, in a condescending manner: "The landlady
looked at him de haut en has, rather pitying, and at the same time, resenting his
clear, fierce morality" (D. H. Lawrence,
Sons and Lovers, 1913).

Dei gratia (dayee grahteea) LATIN [by
the grace of God] adverb phrase by
the grace of God, by divine favor (usuall), referring to rule by divine right):
"The monarch or the sovereign assembly
only hath immediate authority from God
to teach and instruct the people; and no
man but the sovereign receiveth his power
Dei gratia simply; that is to say, from
the favor of none but God..." (Thomas
Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651). ''abbreviated form D.G.