‖ en tout cas
(ɑ̃ tu kɑ)
[Fr., = in any case or emergency.]
1. A parasol which also serves the purpose of an umbrella.
| 1874 Cassell's Fam. Mag. Dec. 20/1 ‘En-tout-cas’ are larger than parasols and smaller than the usual umbrellas, and are suspended by a chain. 1889 Chambers's Jrnl. 28 Dec. 827/1 The parasol and the popular en tous cas. 1915 Galsworthy Little Man 39 Maud comes running,..dragging a bull-dog..by the crutch end of her en-tout-cas. 1928 Daily Express 17 July 5/2 The useful en-tout-cas that will withstand a summer shower. 1951 E. Paul Springtime in Paris vi. 124 A torn en-tout-cas (combination umbrella and sunshade) turned inside out. |
2. (Properly En-Tout-Cas.) A trade name for an all-weather hard lawn-tennis court.
| 1928 Trade Marks Jrnl. 17 Oct. 1644 En-Tout-Cas, marking tapes, and pins used..for marking out hard lawn tennis courts... The En-Tout-Cas Company (Syston) Limited..London E.C.2. 1931 U.S. Lawn Tennis Assoc. Official Program 23 Mar. 4 ‘En-Tout-Cas’ courts are ready for play thirty minutes after heavy rain. 1953 Landfall 7 Feb. 121 But mostly we played..in doubles..shouting and sweating on the mossy en-tout-cas court. 1955 Newsweek 29 Aug. 46/3 Italians..prefer the slow, high bounces of European entout-cas to the speedy skids of a tennis ball on grass. |