nounplural noun coups de foudre/ˌkuː də ˈfuːdr(ə)/
A sudden unforeseen event, in particular an instance of love at first sight.
‘their fateful meeting caused a coup de foudre that grew into lifelong love’- ‘So it isn't a coup de foudre for him, 1916, in that sense.’
- ‘She mistrusts the coup de foudre - her preference is for relationships that are embedded in networks of friends and family and cushioned by money.’
- ‘Suffice to say there was a moment, call it the thunderbolt, the coup de foudre or whatever, where we both realised, blah blah blah.’
- ‘They met through mutual friends at a party in London and it was a coup de foudre.’
- ‘Had it not been for Victoria's coup de foudre or instant infatuation, she probably would have married someone with a more prestigious or powerful background.’
- ‘And because when the coup de foudre strikes me (got to use French when you're talking about love), I'm the most soppily sentimental person you could meet.’
- ‘But if there were other adventures or coups de foudre, they go unmentioned.’
- ‘He represents truth - a primal punch in the face or coup de foudre, as the French say.’
- ‘The completed film will be around 26 minutes long and will include references to coup de foudre, the search for the inspector, and Bulgaria.’
- ‘I knew I was going to marry him the moment I saw him - pure coup de foudre.’
- ‘The French refer to this as le coup de foudre.’
- ‘The coup de foudre effect that Mario has had on me is a lasting one (that's in my nature, I always - stick to my man).’
Origin
French, literally ‘stroke of lightning’.
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