DELOPE Meaning and
Definition
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"Delope" is a term that refers to a specific action in the field of dueling, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. It describes the act of intentionally firing a shot into the air or ground, rather than aiming directly at one's opponent. The word originates from the French phrase 'faire delop', meaning 'to throw away the shot'.
The purpose of a delope was to display one's skill and bravery rather than to harm or kill the opponent. By deliberately missing the target, the duelist would communicate a willingness to settle the conflict without resorting to violence, demonstrating honorable intentions. This practice was particularly common among the European aristocracy and was considered a gesture of chivalry.
Although the act of deloping was meant to defuse tensions, it did not always guarantee a peaceful resolution. If the opponent did not reciprocate the gesture or was not satisfied with it, the duel could still proceed with lethal intentions.
Today, "delope" continues to be used in some contexts to describe an intentional act of missing a target, often as a way to demonstrate skill or to show off. It may also be employed metaphorically to signify an intentionally weakened effort or to describe a lack of full commitment to a task or objective.
Etymology of DELOPE
The word "delope" originated from the French term "développer", which means "to unfold". This French term was commonly used in the context of pistol dueling. During the 19th century, when dueling with pistols was practiced, it referred to a specific act of deliberately missing the target as a gesture of goodwill, essentially indicating that one had no intention to harm their opponent. Over time, "développer" was anglicized and transformed into "delope" in English, retaining its original meaning in the realm of dueling. Today, "delope" is often used to describe intentionally missing a target as a sign of respect or to show that one could have hit it if desired.
Conjugate verb Delope
CONDITIONAL
I
would delope
you
would delope
he/she/it
would delope
we
would delope
they
would delope
CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS
I
would be deloping
you
would be deloping
he/she/it
would be deloping
we
would be deloping
they
would be deloping
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have delope
you
would have delope
he/she/it
would have delope
we
would have delope
they
would have delope
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
would have been deloping
you
would have been deloping
he/she/it
would have been deloping
we
would have been deloping
they
would have been deloping
FUTURE
I
will delope
you
will delope
he/she/it
will delope
we
will delope
they
will delope
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be deloping
you
will be deloping
he/she/it
will be deloping
we
will be deloping
they
will be deloping
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have deloped
you
will have deloped
he/she/it
will have deloped
we
will have deloped
they
will have deloped
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been deloping
you
will have been deloping
he/she/it
will have been deloping
we
will have been deloping
they
will have been deloping
IMPERATIVE
you
delope
we
let´s delope
to delope
PAST
I
deloped
you
deloped
he/she/it
deloped
we
deloped
they
deloped
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was deloping
you
were deloping
he/she/it
was deloping
we
were deloping
they
were deloping
PAST PARTICIPLE
deloped
PAST PERFECT
I
had deloped
you
had deloped
he/she/it
had deloped
we
had deloped
they
had deloped
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been deloping
you
had been deloping
he/she/it
had been deloping
we
had been deloping
they
had been deloping
PRESENT
I
delope
you
delope
he/she/it
delopes
we
delope
they
delope
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am deloping
you
are deloping
he/she/it
is deloping
we
are deloping
they
are deloping
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
deloping
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have deloped
you
have deloped
he/she/it
has deloped
we
have deloped
they
have deloped
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been deloping
you
have been deloping
he/she/it
has been deloping
we
have been deloping
they
have been deloping
