Touché (disambiguation)

Look up touché in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Touché is a French term (literally touched) that is used in fencing to acknowledge a valid hit.

It is also used in conversation/debate to concede a point as true. More commonly it is used sarcastically to indicate that one is unable to argue against another's absurd logic. This use is most often restricted to scripted satirical media such as political cartoons, comic strips and comedy shows.

Here is a quote to demonstrate the use of touché from the TV Series The Simpsons, episode “Maximum Homerdrive”:

Bart: I want to go with you, Dad.

Homer: Don’t you have school?

Bart: Don’t you have work?

Homer: Ah, touché.

The term is also explained in one of Apple's Get a Mac ads. The ad begins as usual with the two characters introducing themselves, but right after PC gives his introduction, Mac replies, "And I'm a PC too." PC is confused and Mac explains that he can run both Mac OS X and Windows XP, calling himself "the only computer you'll ever need." To this, PC mutters, "Oh...Touché." Mac, a little puzzled, steps in, "I don't think you're using that right," and then explains that one only says "Touché" after making a good counterpoint to someone else's argument, which PC has not done. Mac decides to backtrack to give PC one more chance at using the word correctly, but PC makes the same mistake again. The ad then cuts to the ending splash screen where Mac mutters off-camera, "Nevermind..."