insult

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect

   Turning your back on me was a deliberate insult.

2. 2
   verb

   treat, mention, or speak to rudely

   They insulted us with their rude remarks.

3. 3
   verb

   To be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (somebody); to affront or demean (someone).

   - Marvel owns your gods! - Insulting is not arguing.

4. 4
   verb

   To assail, assault, or attack; (specifically, military) to carry out an assault, attack, or onset without preparation.

   Giue me thy knife, I will inſult on him, Flattering my ſelfes, as if it were the Moore, Come hither purpoſely to poyſon me.

5. 5
   verb

   To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (against or over someone).

   And doe you ſe how he inſulteth ouer me, as though hee had gotten a great aduantage, and how hee taketh heere his reuenge vpon me, for the ſhipwracke hee ſuffered before, in the matter of his ſyllogyſme?

6. 6
   verb

   To leap or trample upon.

   So looks the pent-vp Lyon o're the Wretch, / That trembles vnder his deuouring Pawes: / And ſo he walkes, inſulting o're his Prey, / And ſo he comes, to rend his Limbes aſunder.

7. 7
   noun

   Action or form of speech deliberately intended to be rude; (countable) a particular act or statement having this effect.

   Preſent we meet thy ſneaking treacherous ſmiles; The harmleſs abſent ſtill thy ſneer reviles; Such as in thee all parts ſuperior find, The ſneer that marks the fool and knave combin'd; When melting pity would afford relief The ruthleſs ſneer that insult adds to grief.

8. 8
   noun

   Something that causes offence (for example, by being of an unacceptable quality).

   The way the orchestra performed tonight was an insult to my ears.

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)). The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to…