clever riposte
1
7.1
- noun
- /ˈklɛvər rɪˈpoʊst/
- The comedian's clever riposte to the heckler silenced the crowd and earned him cheers.
Examples
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This was considered a clever riposte.
Blog text (17) -
Or to offer a clever riposte.
Blog text (10) -
Her clever riposte left everyone in the room laughing and applauding her wit.
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After his joke, she shot back with a clever riposte that caught him off guard.
Synonyms
34
3.7
A quick witty or critical reply to a remark
19
6.1
A quick clever reply to a comment that shows anger or wit
6
7.7
A quick clever reply that answers and often criticizes someone
4
8.3
A quick clever reply to a remark or criticism
1
3.6
A fast, clever reply to a remark or insult
1
7.4
A quick, clever reply that surprises others
1
8.2
A quick clever reply that answers an insult or criticism
Antonyms
How Witty
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a quick, witty reply' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'clever' (witty) with 'riposte' (a quick, clever answer). This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition following normal English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The noun clever riposte comes from old sword fighting: the French word riposte named the quick thrust a fencer makes back after they block an attack. So riposte came to mean a short, fast 'reply', and a clever riposte is a smart, quick answer that stops the other person.