FOREIGN EXPRESSIONS III

The Word's The Thing

Dr. Louis D. Appel

The expressions below, borrowed from other languages, have been incorporated into everyday English vocabulary. What do they mean?

1. Noblesse oblige

2. Nom de plume

3. Non sequitur

4. Nouveau riche

5. Quid pro quo

6. Raison d'etre

7. Sangfroid

8. Sans souci

9. Savoir faire

10. S'il vous plait

11. Sine qua non

12. Sotto voce

13. Sub rosa

14. Terra firma

15. Tete-a-tete

16. Vis-a-vis

17. Pro bono

18. Ipso facto

19. Weltschmertz

20. Zeitgeist

Answers:

 

1. Obligation of the rich to be generous

2. Pen name

3. Conclusion that does not follow from premise 

4. Newly rich

5. This for that

6. Reason for being

7. Composure under pressure

8. Without a care

9. Polished, confident social behavior 

10. Please

11. Without which nothing - indispensable 

12. In an undertone, whisper

13. In secret

14. Solid ground

15. Head-to-head

16. Having to do with

17. For the public good - free legal services

18. By that very act or fact

19. World pain, pessimism at the state of things

20.  Spirit of the time