1680s, "a blunder in fencing," from French contre-temps "motion out of time, unfortunate accident, bad times;" from Latin contra + tempus (see temporal). As a ballet term, from 1706; as "an unfortunate accident," 1802; as "a dispute," from 1961.
双语例句
1. He was briefly arrested in Rome after a contretemps with Italian police.
他曾因和意大利警方发生争执而在罗马被短暂拘留。
来自柯林斯例句
2. He tried to smooth over his contretemps with the policeman.
