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affront

 - 3 dictionary results

af⋅front

  [uh-fruhnt]
Use affront in a Sentence
–noun
1. a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult: an affront to the king.
2. an offense to one's dignity or self-respect.
–verb (used with object)
3. to offend by an open manifestation of disrespect or insolence: His speech affronted all of us.
4. to make ashamed or confused; embarrass.
5. Archaic. to front; face; look on.
6. Obsolete. to meet or encounter face to face; confront.
Origin:
1300–50; ME afrounten < MF af(f)ronter to strike in the face < VL *affrontāre, deriv. of L phrase ad frontem at or toward the forehead (as the seat of one's feelings or dignity). See ad-, front

Related forms:
af⋅front⋅ed⋅ly, adverb
af⋅front⋅ed⋅ness, noun
af⋅front⋅er, noun
af⋅front⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. impertinence; contumely, scorn; indignity, abuse, outrage. See insult. 3. insult, slight, abuse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To affront
af·front   (ə-frŭnt')   
tr.v.   af·front·ed, af·front·ing, af·fronts

  1. To insult intentionally, especially openly. See Synonyms at offend.

    1. To meet defiantly; confront.

    2. Obsolete To meet or encounter face to face.

n.  

  1. An open or intentional offense, slight, or insult: Such behavior is an affront to society.

  2. Obsolete A hostile encounter or meeting.


[Middle English afrounten, from Old French afronter : Latin ad-, ad- + Latin frōns, front-, face; see front.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

affront  (v.)
c.1315, from O.Fr. afronter "to face, confront," lit. "to strike on the forehead," from L.L. affrontare "to strike against," from L. ad frontem "to the face," from frons (gen. frontis) "forehead." The noun is 1598, from the verb.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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