Why maestro?

[Lioniella]

Clue: "Actress West has endless criticism of the conductor." The answer is obviously MAESTRO but I don't understand why. My theory is that the actress is MAE, the 'has' is shortened to S as in Mae's. which leaves the TRO. All I can think of is that it is an endless word -- TROP, French for too much. But it still looks wrong. Hope someone can explain why, as it's no fun getting an answer I don't understand.

[Azalian]

How about " STROP"

[mike11111]

You are right in your answer and your analysis. Trop, or to be more accurate, 'du trop' is a French expression meaning 'too much' or, 'that's more than enough', a criticism of one's remarks.

[bobneish]

Definitely strop

[Lioniella]

Well, we can't agree on STROP because I can't see that it means 'criticism'. Can you explain why?

[mac44]

Chambers has criticism listed under strop.

[Lioniella]

Well, you learn something new every day. I don't have a Chambers, but I bow to your superior knowledge. How would you use it in a sentence?

[mac44]

Chambers example is
criticism,esp in the phrase give someone strop.

[Lioniella]

Thanks, Mac 44. That'll be my word of the week :-)

[scotman]

Looks like 'strop' is the correct part. I have checked my Chambers(10th Ed) and it(criticise) is in there but it is not a meaning I would have associated with the word.

[Lioniella]

No, I would never have associated strop with criticism either, Scotman. It's now my "must use" word!