feu de joie
Definition
Noun (plural: feux de joie) - A ceremonial firing of rifles or guns into the air as a salute or expression of joy, typically performed by a military unit in a coordinated sequence.
Usage Examples
- (A military gun salute for a joyful occasion.)
- (A celebratory volley of gunfire.)
- (A coordinated salute heard from a distance.)
Advanced Usage
- "To run a feu de joie": to execute the ceremonial firing in a specific sequential pattern, often from one end of a line to the other.
- The troops ran a feu de joie along the parade ground. (They fired in a rolling sequence.)
- "A feu de joie in miniature": a smaller-scale or informal version of the salute.
- The scouts performed a feu de joie in miniature with their starter pistols. (A reduced imitation of the ceremony.)
Variants and Related Words
- Feu (noun, French origin): fire; used in compound terms like (fireworks).
- Joie (noun, French origin): joy; related to (joyful).
- Feu de joie (invariant in spelling): the phrase itself is borrowed directly from French, meaning "fire of joy."
Synonyms
- Salute: a formal gesture of respect or celebration, often involving weapons.
- Volley: a simultaneous discharge of multiple firearms.
- Ceremonial firing: a ritualistic use of guns for non-combat purposes.
Related Idioms (in English)
- "Fire a salute": to perform a ceremonial gun salute.
- The navy fired a 21-gun salute in honor of the ambassador. (A formal salute with cannons.)
- "A joyful noise": a loud, celebratory sound, often from instruments or voices.
- The crowd made a joyful noise after the goal. (An exuberant outburst.)