What does "insult" mean?

1. (a rude remark) a rude or offensive remark or action that is intended to hurt someone's feelings. 2. (physical injury) an injury or something that causes damage to a part of your body. 3. (to be rude to someone) to say or do something rude to someone because you want to offend them. 4. (a military attack) a sudden attack on a place, especially one made without much preparation.

How do you use "insult"?

Often used in phrases like 'cerebral insult' or 'toxic insult'.

insult

n. · v.

US //ˈɪnˌsəɫt// in·sult

1 a rude remark (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a rude or offensive remark or action that is intended to hurt someone's feelings.

a remark or action intended to be insolent or contemptuous. Countable in the sense of a specific remark; uncountable when referring to the behavior in general.

Example

He took it as a personal insult when they didn't invite him to the party.

Example

The politician's speech was perceived as a calculated insult to the local community, sparking immediate protests outside the town hall.
- compliment
- praise
2 physical injury (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

an injury or something that causes damage to a part of your body.

a physical injury, trauma, or a stimulus that causes damage to a tissue or organ.

Example

The brain can suffer a serious insult if it does not get enough oxygen.

Example

The patient's liver had sustained a significant toxic insult due to prolonged exposure to industrial chemicals.

Usage

Often used in phrases like 'cerebral insult' or 'toxic insult'.

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3 to be rude to someone (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to say or do something rude to someone because you want to offend them.

to treat with offensive insolence or contempt; to affront deliberately.

Example

I didn't mean to insult your cooking; I just wasn't very hungry.

Example

The diplomat was careful not to insult his hosts by refusing the traditional meal, even though he found the flavors quite challenging.
- flatter
- honour
4 a military attack (n.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Formal Military

a sudden attack on a place, especially one made without much preparation.

a sudden, unannounced assault or onset, particularly one executed without formal preparation or siege works.

Example

The fort was taken by insult in the middle of the night.

Example

The commander decided to take the outpost by insult rather than wait for the heavy artillery to arrive for a formal siege.
- assault
- onsite
- attack

Origin

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 leap in or upon”); see above.

Idioms2 entries