Also 7 countertemps, 8–9 contretems. [F. contre-temps, -tems, bad or false time, motion out of time, inopportuneness, unexpected and untoward accident.]
† 1. Fencing. A pass or thrust that is made at a wrong or inopportune moment. Obs.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 60. Counter Temps … is when you Thrust without a good Opportunity, or when you Thrust, at the same time your Adversary does the like. Ibid., 67. This preserves your Face from your Adversaries scattering or Counter-Temps Thrusts.
1694. Sir W. Hope, Swordsman’s Vade M., 43. It is a fair Thrust, and cannot be called a Contre temps.
1725. in New Cant. Dict.
2. An inopportune occurrence; an untoward accident; an unexpected mishap or hitch.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Manœuvring, i. I am more grieved than I can express … by a cruel contre-temps.
1842. T. Martin, My Namesake, in Fraser’s Mag. Dec. I am used to these little contretems.
1872. J. L. Sanford, Estimates Eng. Kings, 397. He [Charles II.] regarded such contretemps as inevitable.
Hence † Contretemps (-temp) v. nonce-wd. Fencing. a. trans. To make a contretemps at; b. intr. to make contretemps.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 72. If for all this your Adversary give a home-thrust, then you must Counter-temps him in the Face, and parry … with your left Hand.
1694. Sir W. Hope, Swordsman’s Vade M., 42. He can infallibly Contretemps with the Ignorant as often as he pleaseth. An Ignorant Contre-temping an Artist … The Artist that contretempeth the Ignorant. Ibid., 61. An Artist may … be Contretempsd or Resposted.
