Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
insults - 2 dictionary results

in⋅sult

  [v. in-suhlt; n. in-suhlt]
Use insults in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.
2. to affect as an affront; offend or demean.
3. Archaic. to attack; assault.
–verb (used without object)
4. Archaic. to behave with insolent triumph; exult contemptuously (usually fol. by on, upon, or over).
–noun
5. an insolent or contemptuously rude action or remark; affront.
6. something having the effect of an affront: That book is an insult to one's intelligence.
7. Medicine/Medical.
a. an injury or trauma.
b. an agent that inflicts this.
8. Archaic. an attack or assault.
Origin:
1560–70; < L insultāre to jump on, insult, equiv. to in- in- 2 + -sultāre, comb. form of saltāre to jump; see saltant

Related forms:
in⋅sult⋅a⋅ble, adjective
in⋅sult⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. offend, scorn, injure, abuse. 5. offense, outrage. Insult, indignity, affront, slight imply an act that injures another's honor, self-respect, etc. Insult implies such insolence of speech or manner as deeply humiliates or wounds one's feelings and arouses to anger. Indignity is esp. used of inconsiderate, contemptuous treatment toward one entitled to respect. Affront implies open disrespect or offense shown, as it were, to the face. Slight may imply inadvertent indifference or disregard, which may also indicate ill-concealed contempt.

Antonyms:
1, 5. compliment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To insults
in·sult   (ĭn-sŭlt')   
v.   in·sult·ed, in·sult·ing, in·sults

v.   tr.
    1. To treat with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness. See Synonyms at offend.
    2. To affront or demean: an absurd speech that insulted the intelligence of the audience.
  2. Obsolete To make an attack on.
v.   intr. Archaic
  1. To behave arrogantly.
  2. To give offense; offend: a speech that was intended to insult.
n.   (ĭn'sŭlt')
  1. An offensive action or remark.
    1. Medicine A bodily injury, irritation, or trauma.
    2. Something that causes bodily injury, irritation, or trauma: "the middle of the Bronx, buffeted and poisoned by the worst environmental insults that urban America can dish out" (William K. Stevens).

[French insulter, from Old French, to assault, from Latin īnsultāre, to leap at, insult, frequentative of īnsilīre, to leap upon : in-, on; see in-2 + salīre, to leap; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]
in·sult'er n., in·sult'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see insults on Thesaurus | Reference