The expression coup de grâce ( /ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs/; French: [ku də ɡʁɑs], “blow of mercy”) means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer.
It is often used figuratively to describe the last in a series of events which brings about the end of some entity; for example: “The business had been failing for years; the coup de grâce was the sudden jump in oil prices.
Listen: The phrase “coup de grâce” pronounced by a native French speaker Continue reading “Military terms: Coup de grâce”
Air Squadron 