gloat

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   usually disapproving: to feel or show excessive satisfaction about one's success or another person's misfortune

   You may celebrate the victory, but there is no need to gloat.

2. 2
   noun

   mainly British, informal: an occasion of expressing self-satisfied pleasure

   He allowed himself a brief gloat after proving the critics wrong.

From Middle English gloten or glouten, probably from Old Norse glotta 'to grin or smile scornfully.' Earlier Germanic relatives referred to staring or gawking; the modern word centers on visibly self-satisfied pleasure.

Topics