coup de mâitre

But what happened last week in Bangkok was not a coup d'�tat, nor even a coup de main, coup de Jarnac, coup de gr�ce, coup de maitre, coup de pied or a coup d'oeil.

For months he regarded this speech as a coup de maitre, while Roswell Gardiner forgot it in half an hour; so much better than the uncle did the lover comprehend the character of the niece.

There is another artifice of the Poet, which I cannot here omit; because, by the frequent practice of it in his Comedies, he has left it to us, almost as a Rule: that is, when he has any Character or Humour, wherein he would show a coup de maître or his highest skill; he recommends it to your observation by a pleasant description of it, before the person first appears.

And below the dress, which reached just below the knees—Nepeese had quite forgotten the proper length, or else her material had run out—came the coup de maitre of her toilet, real stockings and the gay shoes with high heels!

This was a coup de maitre on the part of the bee-hunter.