repartée

plural repartées

1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of repartee.

   There are the repartées, the verbal pirouettes of the servant gagsters.

   1965, The New Mexico Quarterly, volume 35, pages 112–113

   5 more examples

   In what country but England could the epigrammatic repartées and spiritual anecdotes of a Jekyll have flourished?

   1832, “Journal of Conversations with Lord Byron, by the Countess of Blessington”, in The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, volume XXXV, part II, London: Published for Henry Colburn by Richard Bentley, […], page 524

   She was quite famous for her conversational powers and talents for repartée.

   1855, Sarah Josepha Hale, “Third Era”, in Women’s Record; or, Sketches of all Distinguished Women, from the Creation to A. D. 1854. […], 2nd edition, New York: Harper & Brothers, […], “113. LENCLOS, ANNE or NINON DE”, page 390, column 1

   Some very sharp and cutting repartées passed after dinner, amongst others that of Admiral Tchitschagoff to General Ouvaroff, related in a preceding page.

   1865 September, “Reminiscences of the Court and Times of the Emperor Paul I. of Russia”, in Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, volume LXXII, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., page 325, column 1

   “No heart can resist her when she smiles and tries her repartée, even in this presence,” said Lady Lucie. “A power of repartée is a great thing, girl; it becomes a fine woman better than diamonds.[…]”

   1874, Henrietta Keddie, “Chapter I. An Old Queen’s Drawing-Room”, in Lady Bell. A Story of Last Century, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., page 4

   Although she and Father were opposites in so many ways, when it came to repartée and telling stories, they were like a brilliantly matched tennis team.

   1956, Elizabeth Stevenson Ives, Hildegarde Dolson, My Brother Adlai, New York: William Morrow & Company, page 8

present singular third person repartées · participle present repartéeing · participle past repartéed · past repartéed

1. alternativeAlternative form of repartee.

   Surjeet Shona was quick to repartée, ‘But even Buddha set under the shelter of the Bo tree. Can’t the verandah be your Bo tree?’

   2006, Kamalini Sengupta, The Top of the Raintree, IndiaInk, →ISBN, page 129

   3 more examples

   Yet from the long view of life / a certain depth emerges of continued growth / yielding some recompense to repartée / and the oft dichotomous personalization / becomes as fulfilling as a trampoline / to the boring tranquillity of sameness.

   1979, Earl M. Simmons, Eagle Spree, Vantage Press, page 42

   There was a small silence, until the vacuum created by his exit had been filled, and then Monsieur Brigaud jumped at the opportunity to repartée with his hostess once again.

   1990, Jessie Gresham Zapffe, Dark Places, Light Places: A Novel of Love—and Grace, Sunfire Productions, →ISBN, page 156

   It’s more a showcase for Rinker and Barris’s fancy repartéeing than Bing’s vocal and cymbal interjections, Crosby hardly getting a word in edgewise.

   2004, Lenny Kaye, You Call it Madness: The Sensuous Song of the Croon, Villard Books, →ISBN, pages 98–99