Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Insult?

\In"sult\, n. [L. insultus, fr. insilire to leap upon: cf. F. insulte. See {Insult}, v. t.] 1. The act of leaping on; onset; attack. [Obs.] --Dryden. 2. Gross abuse offered to another, either by word or act; an act or speech of insolence or contempt; an affront; an indignity. The ruthless sneer that insult adds to grief. --Savage. Syn: Affront; indignity; abuse; outrage; contumely. See {Affront}.
\In*sult"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Insulted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Insulting}.] [F. insulter, L. insultare, freq. fr. insilire to leap into or upon; pref. in- in, on + salire to leap. See {Salient}.] 1. To leap or trample upon; to make a sudden onset upon. [Obs.] --Shak. 2. To treat with abuse, insolence, indignity, or contempt, by word or action; to abuse; as, to call a man a coward or a liar, or to sneer at him, is to insult him.
\In*sult"\, v. i. 1. To leap or jump. Give me thy knife, I will insult on him. --Shak. Like the frogs in the apologue, insulting upon their wooden king. --Jer. Taylor. 2. To behave with insolence; to exult. [Archaic] The lion being dead, even hares insult. --Daniel. An unwillingness to insult over their helpless fatuity. --Landor.