tête-à-tête

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. adverb Without the intrusion of a third person; in intimate privacy: talk tête-à-tête; a tête-à-tête supper.
  2. noun A private conversation between two persons.
  3. noun A sofa for two, especially an S-shaped one allowing the occupants to face each other.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (5)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet

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Examples

  • It was something of a disappointment to have their tête-à-tête interrupted, but Lily smiled politely at the gentleman who stopped at their table to have a word with them. —  One Night for Love
  • I was not at all sure about the intimacy of this tête-à-tête, but the hall lights were blazing, sweeping away the memory of the quiet and somewhat mysterious reaches of the room in the other evening’s after-dinner candlelight, and Ketteridge did not seem in the least seductive, or even vaguely flirtatious. —  The Moor
  • I had better return Mr Biancini’s photograph and then I have two telephone calls to make, so you two can count on a nice tête-à-tête if you wish. —  Spotted Hemlock
  • ‘He was wondering how long this … ah … tête-à-tête is going to take?’ —  The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride
  • "The instigation did not happen that evening, but next morning, in a tête-à-tête between Citizen Rubashov and myself." —  Darkness At Noon
 

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Tête-à-tête has been looked up 120 times, favorited 0 times, listed 9 times, and commented on once.

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Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. French : tête, head + à, to + tête, head.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. French, face to face, literally ‘head to head’: tête, head; à (from Latin ad), to; tête, head: see test.
  2. from tête-à-tête, adv.
  3. French, a private interview, from tête-à-tête, face to face: see tête-à-tête, adv.
 

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