Meaning of l'esprit de l'escalier | Babel Free

Definitions

The phenomenon when a conversational rejoinder or remark only occurs to someone after the opportunity to make it has passed.

uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Some last⟳ thoughts in l'esprit de l'escalier—afterthoughts descending the stairwell as one remembers things unsaid.”

“I flashed on Nancy again. The French had a word for everything: even for that thing you wished you'd said. L'esprit de l'escalier. The wit of the staircase. What I wished I'd said was this: […]”

“'That's understandable,' said May, 'we get⟳ it all the time. L'esprit d'escalier—remembering what you should have⟳ said too late.'”

“Later, l'esprit de l'escalier provided Mercia with: Glad you're in agreement/I haven't yet spoken/Is that a greeting/Yes indeed—but at the time, affronted, she grabbed at a couple of garments and announced, I'll try⟳ these.”

CEFR level