Trappengeest

Me toegeworpen door B., 'l'esprit d'escalier', een nuttige term voor een narigheidje dat me iets te vaak overkomt:

L'esprit d'escalier (literally, stairway wit) is a French term used in English that describes the predicament of thinking of the right comeback too late. Originally a witticism of Denis Diderot. The phrase can be used to describe a riposte to an insult, or any witty, clever remark that comes to mind too late to be useful—when one is on the "staircase" leaving the scene. A seldom-used English translation exists: "staircase wit". Sometimes Treppenwitz, the concept's German translation, is used to express the same idea. The nearest English expression would be "being wise after the event". (Wikipedia)