tour de force

tour de force

An exceptionally masterful performance or achievement, especially in the arts. The director's latest movie is a tour de force of filmmaking. The Olympic gymnast's final routine was a tour de force that earned her a gold medal.
See also: DE, force, tour
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a tour de ˈforce

(from French) an extremely skilful performance or achievement: a literary/cinematic tour de force
This is a French phrase that means ‘an act of strength’.
See also: DE, force, tour
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a tour de force
  • a whale of a
  • come through (something) with flying colors
  • pass with flying colors
  • pass with flying colours
  • with flying colors, pass with
  • run (someone or something) close
  • run somebody/something close
  • run someone close
  • coming through
References in periodicals archive
Darley was seen at his best on Tour de Force, who he forced home by a neck from Start Over in the mile classified stakes.
With Tour de Force, organizers are aiming to make specialized training accessible to personnel that trainers may otherwise miss--sales clerks who would never have the chance to attend a major computer show, for example.
New York, US-based private equity firm Eden Capital has announced the acquisition of Ohio, US-based Tour de Force Inc.
Tour de Force develops, sells, implements, and supports a suite of CRM and BI software solutions.
The Tour de Force follows the exact route of the famous race and cyclists can complete all 21 stages or break the route down into short blocks.
The charity is the official charity of the Tour de Force and supports disadvantaged young people across the UK to fulfil their potential, and was established by William's parents in memory of their son who was killed while travelling in South America in 1996.
Det Sgt Whitelaw, who is based at Kevin Street Garda station in Dublin's South Inner city, said: "I accept the award on behalf of everyone who has been part of Tour de Force and who put work into a very worthwhile charity.
The officers are taking on the challenge in order to raise money and show support for the four-strong Tour de Forces team, a group of former military servicemen and civilians who are currently cycling an astonishing 3,102 miles around Britain's coast.
The combination of this original subject matter and careful investigation results in a literary "tour de force" according to Fred Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations.
Richard McCabe's King John is a tour de force as one of England's great anti-heroes.
The ultra-contemporary group will present three of Saarinen's works, including his signature solo, Hunt (2002), a tour de force of beautifully imbalanced movement set to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
The result is a strangely muted tour de force of innuendo--only Dead, 2005, a large painting based on a dictionary definition of the word, complete with usage examples of the kind utilized by Joseph Kosuth, makes Fisher's Conceptual allegiance explicit.
Pollack of Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., says the Cornell work "is a tour de force of elegant engineering ...
The Indian clothing expert Bhandari does a tour de force. Nothing is left out--from origins of and historical influences on Indian garb to materials and manufacture; from basic clothing to the variety of ornaments and accessories; from jewelry and bracelets to class and ethnic wear.
Jim Soliski's articles have been previously published in newspapers around the world including The Chicago Tribune and Outpost Magazine; now they are gathered in single amazing tour de force that is the next best thing to personal globetrotting.