Library / English Dictionary

INSULT

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Example:

turning his back on me was a deliberate insult

Synonyms:

affront; insult

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("insult" is a kind of...):

discourtesy; offence; offense; offensive activity (a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "insult"):

indignity (an affront to one's dignity or self-esteem)

outrage; scandalisation; scandalization (the act of scandalizing)

Derivation:

insult (treat, mention, or speak to rudely)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A rude expression intended to offend or hurt

Example:

they yelled insults at the visiting team

Synonyms:

abuse; contumely; insult; revilement; vilification

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("insult" is a kind of...):

discourtesy; disrespect (an expression of lack of respect)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "insult"):

low blow (unscrupulous abuse)

billingsgate; scurrility (foul-mouthed or obscene abuse)

cut; stinger (a remark capable of wounding mentally)

invective; vitriol; vituperation (abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will)

Derivation:

insult (treat, mention, or speak to rudely)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Treat, mention, or speak to rudely

Example:

the student who had betrayed his classmate was dissed by everyone

Synonyms:

affront; diss; insult

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "insult" is one way to...):

bruise; hurt; injure; offend; spite; wound (hurt the feelings of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot insult Sue

The performance is likely to insult Sue

Derivation:

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

insult (a rude expression intended to offend or hurt)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The man meant no insult, you understand, but that class of people must be kept in their proper sphere.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You have insulted me in every possible method. I must beg to return to the house.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

She thought nothing of his attachment, and was insulted by his hopes.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The impairment may be acquired (i.e., due to a brain lesion or head trauma) or developmental (i.e., no known neurological insult).

(Expressive Language Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

It is an insult to propose it.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

“I quite recognise that I am under obligations to you, Mr. Holmes,” said he, “but I must regard what you have just said as either a very bad joke or an insult.”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The emergence of autism in children has not only been linked to genes encoding synaptic proteins—among others—but also environmental insults such as zinc deficiency.

(Zinc Deficiency during Pregnancy Linked to Autism in Babies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

By contrast, only chronic sleep loss activates microglia cells and promotes their phagocytic activity ... suggesting that extended sleep disruption may prime microglia and perhaps predispose the brain to other forms of insult.

(Lack of Sleep Makes Brain to Literally Eat Itself, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Inflammatory immune response requires the recruitment of leukocytes to the site of inflammation upon foreign insult.

(Chemokine Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

After the first rush, each time, his snarl kept the three dogs at a distance but they trailed along behind, yelping and bickering and insulting him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)