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arrière-pensée

[a-ryer-pahn-sey]
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noun, plural ar·rière-pen·sées [a-ryer-pahn-sey] /a ryɛr pɑ̃ˈseɪ/. French.
  1. a mental reservation; hidden motive.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for arriere-pensee

Historical Examples

  • As yet, however, let the student of his history understand, they were not tinged with the slightest "arriere-pensee."

    Stella Fregelius

    H. Rider Haggard

  • Dick meant nothing by this speech more than his words implied: he was far too good-natured for an arriere-pensee.

  • A savage will not assist in packing them, for he fears their heels: the Swiss say mules have always an arriere-pensee.

    The Art of Travel

    Francis Galton

  • Baroness Dinati was therefore wrong to suspect old Yanski Varhely of any 'arriere-pensee'.

British Dictionary definitions for arriere-pensee

arrière-pensée

noun
  1. an unrevealed thought or intention
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Word Origin

C19: literally: behind thought
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012