What is "coup de grace"

Coup \Coup\ (k[=oo]), n. [F., fr.L. colaphus a cuff, Gr. ko`lafos.]

1. A sudden stroke delivered with promptness and force; -- used also in various ways to convey the idea of an unexpected, clever, and successful tactic or stratagem.

2. A single roll of the wheel at roulette, or a deal at rouge et noir. [Cant]

3. Among some tribes of North American Indians especially of the Great Plains, the act of striking or touching an enemy in warfare with the hand or at close quarters, as with a short stick, in such a manner as by custom to entitle the doer to count the deed an act of bravery; hence, any of various other deeds recognized by custom as acts of bravery or honor. While the coup was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who performed them were also reckoned coups by some tribes. --G. B. Grinnell. Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a coup. --G. B. Grinnell. Coup de grace (k[=oo]` de gr[.a]s") [F.], the stroke of mercy with which an executioner ends by death the sufferings of the condemned; hence, a decisive, finishing stroke. Coup de main (k[=oo]` de m[a^]N") [F.] (Mil.), a sudden and unexpected movement or attack. Coup de soleil (k[=o]` de s[-o]*l[asl]l or -l[asl]"y') [F.] (Med.), a sunstroke. See Sunstroke. Coup d'['e]tat (k[=oo]" d[asl]*t[aum]") [F.] (Politics), a sudden, decisive exercise of power whereby the existing government is subverted without the consent of the people; an unexpected measure of state, more or less violent; a stroke of policy. Coup d'[oe]il (k[=oo]` d[~e]l"). [F.]

   1. A single view; a rapid glance of the eye; a comprehensive view of a scene; as much as can be seen at one view.

   2. The general effect of a picture.

   3. (Mil.) The faculty or the act of comprehending at a glance the weakness or strength of a military position, of a certain arrangement of troops, the most advantageous position for a battlefield, etc.

1690s, from French coup de grâce, literally "stroke of grace;" the merciful death-blow that ends another's suffering (see coup).

n. A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.

n. the blow that kills (usually mercifully) [syn: deathblow]

A coup de grâce is a finishing blow.

Coup de Grâce may also refer to:

• Coup de Grâce (1969 film), an Argentine comedy
• Coup de Grâce (1976 film), a film by Volker Schlöndorff
• "Coup de Grace" (CSI), an episode of the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
• Coup de Grâce (novel), a novel by Marguerite Yourcenar, basis for the 1976 film

In music:

• Coup de Grâce (Mink DeVille album)
• Coup de Grace (Orange Goblin album)
• Coup de Grace (The Plasmatics album)
• Coup de Grace (The Stranglers album)
• Coup de Grace (Treat album)
• Coup de Grâce (Best of Koop 1997–2007), an album
• Coup de Grâce, a power electronics music project by Michael Moynihan
• Coup de Grâce, part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer

1. redirect Coup de Grâce

Coup de Grace is the fourteenth album by The Stranglers released in 1998.

The tracks on Coup de Grace represent a greater writing input from Jean Jacques Burnel (JJ Burnel) than on more recent outings; he also sings four of the ten tracks. Heavily influenced by the band's troop-entertaining trips to such places as the Falkland Islands and Bosnia, and (in JJ's words) "life in general", the tracks cover such topics as the ravages of war, religious conflicts, and failed relationships. In album includes the minimally-accompanied ballad "In the End".

The album failed to reach the official UK Albums Chart, their first such release to do so.

Coup de Grâce ( German: Der Fangschuß, French: Le Coup de grâce) is a 1976 West German film directed by Volker Schlöndorff. It was adapted from the novel by the same name by the French author Marguerite Yourcenar. The title comes from the French expression, meaning "finishing blow".

Coup De Grace is the fourth full-length album by Orange Goblin released in 2002 on Rise Above Records and The Music Cartel. Guest appearances include John Garcia of Kyuss and Tom Davies of Nebula.

In late January 2011, Rise Above Records reissued the album in a digipack form containing three bonus tracks; No Law (taken from the earlier High Times release), No Class ( Motörhead cover) and Freelance Fiend ( Leafhound cover).

Coup de Grâce is a 1969 Argentine comedy film directed by Ricardo Becher. It was entered into the 19th Berlin International Film Festival.

Coup de Grâce (Best of Koop 1997–2007) is a 'best of' compilation album by electronic music duo Koop. The album comprises a selection of songs taken from the band's previous three albums. It also includes the unreleased song "Strange Love".

Coup de Grâce is a 1939 novel in French by Marguerite Yourcenar. The narrative is a triangle drama set in the Baltics during the Russian Civil War (1917-1922).

It was adapted into the 1976 film Coup de Grâce, directed by Volker Schlöndorff.

Coup de Grace is a postmortem released by punk / metal band The Plasmatics in 2000. The album is the original demo of the album Coup d'Etat.

During the spring of 1982, the Plasmatics were signed to Capitol Records and Dan Hartman offered to produce a demo of the album for Capitol with Rod at Electric Lady Studios, Jimi Hendrix's old studio, in NY. The whole album was arranged, recorded and mixed within a week. Dieter Dierks, who had just come off a number one album with the Scorpions, also expressed interest in producing. Dan Hartman was soon replaced by Dieter.

The Hartman demo was released in 2000 under the name "Coup de Grace". This rawer version of Coup d'Etat took less than a tenth of the time and a fraction of the budget of the original.

Coup de Grâce, issued in 1981, is the fourth album by the rock band Mink DeVille. The album represented a departure for the band, as frontman Willy DeVille dismissed the only other remaining original member of the band, guitarist Louis X. Erlanger, and hired Helen Schneider's backup band ("The Kick") to record the album. Moreover, the album was recorded for Atlantic (Mink DeVille had previously recorded with Capitol).

DeVille told the New York Times:

I had band problems, manager problems, record company problems. And yeah, I had drug problems. Finally I got a new recording contract, with Atlantic, and a new manager. I cleaned up my act. I figured that since playing music with people I was friends with didn't seem to work out, I would hire some mercenaries, some cats who just wanted to play and get paid. And those guys turned out to be more devoted to the music than any band I ever had. They're professional, precise, but they're full of fire, too."

Jack Nitzsche produced the album, his third for Mink DeVille, along with Willy DeVille (the song "Love Me Like You Did Before" was produced by Willy DeVille and Thom Panunzio).

Coup de Grâce is the upcoming eighth studio album by American rapper Ja Rule. The album title is French for " Blow of Mercy", which means a final death blow to end suffering of a severely wounded person. In July 2014, Ja Rule first announced the album which was then titled Genius Loves Company. It was slated for a 2015 released but was pushed back and slated for 2016. In February 2016, Ja Rule announced on social media that the title had been changed to Coup De Grâce. He had also announced that it will be his last album.