Waterloo ball
noun
A party or other entertainment held immediately before a solemn or significant event; an entertainment taking place prior to or in spite of (anticipated) misfortune.
- With reference to a ball given in Brussels by the Duchess of Richmond on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo..
Origin
Early 20th century; earliest use found in Macmillan's Magazine.
- triple A
- triple acrostic
- Triple Alliance
- triple bogey
- triple bond
- triple crown
- triple-double
- triple-drug therapy
- Triple Entente
- triple harp
- triple jump
- triple jumper
- triple play
- triple point
- triple rhyme
- triple sec
- triplet
- triplet code
- triple therapy
- triple time
- triple tonguing
- triple witching
- triplex
- triplicate
- triplication