A "claque" (KLAK) – from the French for "clap" – is a group of fawning admirers, sometimes hired to applaud at a performance.
Example (as used by Simon Hoggart in The Guardian): "Behind the hacks was the claque. They cheered and whooped in a vague way, like a group of restrained English persons at a Texas rodeo: ‘Whee! Whoooo! Polite cough!’"
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Similar Articles:
- Word to the Wise: Genteel – Genteel (jen-TEEL) – from the French – means refined; well-bred and perhaps overly concerned with be…
- Fettle – “Fettle” (FET-l) – from the Old English for “a girdle” – is a state or condition of fitness or order…
- Word to the Wise: Cum – "Cum" (KUM) is Latin for "with." It is often used to mean "combined with.&q…
- Word to the Wise: Supercilious – "Supercilious" (soo-pur-SIL-ee-us) – from the Latin for "eyebrow" – means haught…
- Word to the Wise: Predilection – A "predilection" (preh-dih-LEK-shun) – from the Latin for "to choose" – is an es…
- Word to the Wise: Ludic – "Ludic" (LOO-dik) – from the Latin – means "playful." The word is related to &qu…
- They’re Getting Involved – Whether it’s because of the failing economy, the ongoing war, or the candidates themselves, a majori…