DEBONAIR

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eberntson
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DEBONAIR

Postby eberntson » Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:10 am

deb·o·nair adjective

1archaic : gentle, courteous
2a : suave, urbane <a debonair performer> b : lighthearted, nonchalant
— deb·o·nair·ly adverb
— deb·o·nair·ness noun

Examples of DEBONAIR
a debonair man in a suit and top hat

Their history, past and recent, may be scribbled with viciousness and deprivation, but the debonair politeness, the good humor, of the Irish I met, who are still among the poorest people in the West, gave me to believe that calamity breeds character. —G. Y. Dryansky, Condé Nast Traveler, November 1994

Origin of DEBONAIR
Middle English debonere, from Anglo-French deboneire, from de bon aire of good family or nature
First Known Use: 13th century

SRC: Merriam Webster website

My father and I always pictured Cary Grant as exemplifying debonair. And then again, William Powell, especially in the Thin Man series, is even more so. Although, I would not call any of the characters in Dashiell Hammett’s book “debonair” as written.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

Perry Lassiter
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Re: DEBONAIR

Postby Perry Lassiter » Thu Jul 11, 2013 2:58 pm

Leslie Charteris's Saint is the epitome of debonair as is James Bond and, perhaps, Bertie Wooster.

A popular dance band in our area in my high school days styled themselves The Debonairres. My trumpeter son got to play with their remnants during the last few years of their reunion.
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: DEBONAIR

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:33 pm

Saki's recurring short story hero, Clovis Sangrail, is on the same order as Bertie Wooster, except more so. Although I love them both dearly, to me they don't quite deserve the debonair appellation. The word indolent comes to mind.

One can choose from suave, debonair, sophisticated, smooth operator, to downright con-artist.

Leslie Charteris's Saint may be a little too dignified to be debonair, also a little too corpulent and sedentary. If I remember right, he does very little, making Archie do all the legwork.

There was once a hair dressing that guaranteed debonairity to its users.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: DEBONAIR

Postby Perry Lassiter » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:09 pm

You are confusing the Saint with Nero Wolf, hard to do. The Saint was a rakish "Robin Hood of modern crime," who robbed the crooked and added to his own account.
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: DEBONAIR

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:22 pm

I was confused and you are right, Perry. How could I have made such a mistake? Nero Wolf books are ripping good tales, orchids and all. The Saint - for me, not so much.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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