Your ShelfYour Projects
Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Insult

In'sult, n.

noun

n. [Fr. insulte, It. & Sp. insulto, Lat. insultus, from insilire, insultum, to leap upon, from in and salire, to leap.]

  1. The act of leaping on. [Obs.] Dryden.
  2. Gross abuse offered to another, either by words or actions; act or speech of insolence or contempt.

The ruthless sneer that insult adds to grief. Savage. Syn.—Affront; indignity; outrage; contumely. See AFFRONT.

In-sŭlt', v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. INSULTED; p. pr. & vb. n. INSULTING.] [Fr. insulter, Sp. insultar, It. & Lat. insultare. See supra.]

  1. To leap upon. [Obs.] Shak.
  2. To treat with abuse, insolence, or contempt, by words or actions; to commit an indignity upon; to abuse; as, to call a man a coward or a liar, or to sneer at him, is to insult him.
  3. (Mil.) To make a sudden and undisguised attack upon. [Rare.]

In-sŭlt', v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To leap or jump. “Like the frogs in the apologue, insulting upon their wooden king.” Bp. Taylor.

“Give me thy knife, and I will insult on him.” Shak.

Sense 2. To behave with insolent triumph. “An unwillingness to insult over their helpless fatuity.” Landor.