coup d'etat
Preserved but no longer current.
A state stroke, and the term is applied to one of those bold measures taken by Government to prevent a supposed or actual danger; as when a large body of men are arrested suddenly for fear they should overturn the Government.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “coup d'etat” mean?
A state stroke, and the term is applied to one of those bold measures taken by Government to prevent a supposed or actual danger; as when a large body of men are arrested suddenly for fear they should overturn the Government.
Is “coup d'etat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.