Words of French origin
(Many words from French are used in English)
2. Something that protects an animal from attack by making the creature difficult to see in its environment: Some rabbits have white fur which functions as camouflage in the snow.
3. A behavior which is meant to hide something or to convince others of something that is not true: Herb's strong attitude functioned as camouflage for his insecurity.
4. Etymology: from French camoufier, "to disguise"; which came from Italian camuffare, "to trick, to disguise"; a contraction of capo muffare, "to make sounds quieter by covering the head".
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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
The chiffon scarf which Sally tied around her summer hat matched the pink pattern in her skirt.
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2. Sycophantic followers, or servile self-seekers, of a well-known person: The famous actor was often surrounded by a claque of adoring people who wanted him to notice them so they could take his picture; especially, when he would stand next to them in the photographs.
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Such behavior of people was refined in the theaters of 18th and 19th-century France, where the term claqueur, or someone who claps, was coined.
Why do performing artists need claqueurs? Some performers like to have a few extra seconds to catch their breaths between the end of an adagio and the beginning of a variation.
Dancers of the Bolshoi rarely talk in public about the existence of claqueurs for self-preservation even when the artist has confidence and doesn't feel the need for guaranteed applause any more; however, some of the Bolshoi's claqueurs are known as 'thin-skinned and vengeful', and they can come up with a variety of strategies for disturbing the performances of any uncooperative dancer.
2. The blouse or top half of a dress: The corsage of Mrs. Atkinson's dress, which she wore on somber occasions, was dark blue.
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2. A form, which, when completed and mailed to a company sponsoring a raffle or a competition, entitles the sender the opportunity to win a prize or to receive information: Jane often sent coupons to firms hoping to acquire useful gifts, such as a toaster or coffee maker!