corday d'armont: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal/News
Quick answer
What does “corday d'armont” mean?
A line of police, soldiers, or guards forming a barrier to control access to an area.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A line of police, soldiers, or guards forming a barrier to control access to an area.
Any protective or restrictive barrier, or a decorative band or ribbon worn as an honor.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. 'Cordon bleu' (referring to high culinary skill) is more frequently used in British English in specific contexts.
Connotations
Neutral in security contexts; positive/elite in ceremonial or culinary contexts (e.g., cordon bleu).
Frequency
More frequent in UK news reporting on public order events.
Grammar
How to Use “corday d'armont” in a Sentence
cordon [something] offplace/erect a cordon around [something]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “corday d'armont” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- A police cordon was established around the parliament buildings.
- He was awarded the cordon of the Order of the Garter.
American English
- Authorities set up a security cordon after the explosion.
- The blue cordon on his uniform denoted his rank.
verb
British English
- The police will cordon off the street for the royal visit.
- Council workers cordoned the unsafe playground.
American English
- The FBI cordoned off the entire city block.
- They cordoned the contaminated zone with tape.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in security management contexts.
Academic
Used in political science, history, and security studies.
Everyday
Mostly heard in news reports about accidents, crime scenes, or protests.
Technical
Used in military, policing, and public health ('cordon sanitaire').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “corday d'armont”
- Confusing 'cordon' with 'cauldron'. Using 'cordon' as a verb without 'off' (e.g., 'The police cordoned the area' is less idiomatic than '...cordoned off the area').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily as a noun (e.g., 'a police cordon'). As a verb, it is almost always used with the particle 'off' (phrasal verb 'cordon off').
Literally 'blue ribbon'. It originally referred to the highest order of chivalry in France. Now it most commonly refers to a chef of the highest class or a dish (like chicken cordon bleu) considered to be of superior quality.
A 'cordon' is typically a line or circle of people or objects forming a barrier to control movement in or out. A 'blockade' is a more comprehensive effort to seal off a place, often involving multiple cordons and the prevention of all goods and people, especially in military contexts.
Yes, historically in the term 'cordon sanitaire' (sanitary cordon), which refers to the isolation of an area to prevent the spread of disease. This concept is directly applicable to modern quarantine measures.
A line of police, soldiers, or guards forming a barrier to control access to an area.
Corday d'armont is usually formal/news in register.
Corday d'armont: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔː.dən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːr.dən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cordon bleu”
- “cordon sanitaire”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CORDon is a CORDon (like a cord or rope) used by police to CORDON off an area.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A CONTAINER (the cordon contains a threat or protects a space).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a 'cordon' in a security context?