Is it possible to be suave but not debonair and vice versa?
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suave: (especially of a man) charming, confident, and elegant. debonair: (of a man) confident, stylish, and charming So, in-a-word: no
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.-John Q. Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering.-Wernher von Braun
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.-Albert EinsteinActually, based on those definitions, if you were charming, confident, and elegant but NOT stylish, you would be suave (only); and if you were confident, stylish, and charming but NOT elegant, you would be debonair only. It's an exercise left to the reader how you can be stylish but not elegant, or elegant but not stylish. My take on it: Daniel Boone was stylish but not elegant (he was debonair, perhaps), whereas Abraham Lincoln was elegant but not stylish (he was suave, I reckon). So who is/was suave AND debonair (both stylish AND elegant)? Edgar Allan Poe, Bret Harte (the writer, not the pugilist), et al.
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Actually, based on those definitions, if you were charming, confident, and elegant but NOT stylish, you would be suave (only); and if you were confident, stylish, and charming but NOT elegant, you would be debonair only. It's an exercise left to the reader how you can be stylish but not elegant, or elegant but not stylish. My take on it: Daniel Boone was stylish but not elegant (he was debonair, perhaps), whereas Abraham Lincoln was elegant but not stylish (he was suave, I reckon). So who is/was suave AND debonair (both stylish AND elegant)? Edgar Allan Poe, Bret Harte (the writer, not the pugilist), et al.
:-O :~ :rolleyes:
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.-John Q. Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering.-Wernher von Braun
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.-Albert Einstein -
I didn't vote for Obama! The word "apolitical" means "without politics" - I do not vote!
B. Clay Shannon wrote:
I do not vote!
In my books, this equates to "I do not have the right to complain about things that politicians do!".
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
Cary Grant was suave and debonair; ie a good guy. James Mason was merely suave; ie a bad guy. You really should pay attention when watching North By NorthWest.
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
Suave comes from spanish: suave = soft, and by extensión, delicate or "good behavior" Ella es suave = She is delicate On the other hand, debonair comes from french. De bon air = from good air. By extensión from good family. In english the two words have derived into a similar meanings but the origins were very different. So, you can use them separately or at the same time and the meaning is different in each case.
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
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Really, I can't think of a less appropriate venue to ask this question. What do code monkeys know about "suave" or "debonair"?
"Buddha! Zeus! God! One of you guys, DO something!" --Professor Farnsworth
Good point; I must have been in your cups when I asked it.
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I have always (with the exception of a certain brand of hair products) heard the word "suave" combined with "debonair" - never standalone (and vice versa). In the past it has been applied to men like Cary Grant ("Cary Grant is suave and debonair"); in modern times, two obvious candidates for such a description are Pierce Brosnan and, say, Ndamukong Suh. But I wonder: is it possible to be "suave" but not debonair? Debonair but not suave? If so, please give some examples. e.g., is Ted Nugent suave but not debonair? Is Barack Obama debonair but not suave? Would it, in fact -- since these two adjectives seem inseparably linked -- actually be a "backhanded compliment" to call someone "suave" OR "debonair" (not both)? IOW, would calling someone suave be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT debonair? Similarly, would calling someone debonair be tantamount to saying they are decidedly NOT suave?
I think everyone is ignoring the preface of the question. I've never in my life heard the two combined into one sentence. Always seperate. So using the two together to me would would be equivalent to making fun of someone for thinking he is suave or debonair. :doh:
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I think everyone is ignoring the preface of the question. I've never in my life heard the two combined into one sentence. Always seperate. So using the two together to me would would be equivalent to making fun of someone for thinking he is suave or debonair. :doh: