INSOLENT

audacious, barefaced, bodacious, bald-faced, brassy, brazen, brazen-faced, insolent

(adjective) unrestrained by convention or propriety; “an audacious trick to pull”; “a barefaced hypocrite”; “the most bodacious display of tourism this side of Anaheim”- Los Angeles Times; “bald-faced lies”; “brazen arrogance”; “the modern world with its quick material successes and insolent belief in the boundless possibilities of progress”- Bertrand Russell

impudent, insolent, snotty-nosed, flip

(adjective) marked by casual disrespect; “a flip answer to serious question”; “the student was kept in for impudent behavior”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

insolent (comparative more insolent, superlative most insolent)

Insulting in manner or words.

Synonyms: arrogant, bold, cocky, impudent

Rude.

Synonyms: disrespectful, impertinent, insubordinate, offensive

Synonyms

• See also cheeky

• See also arrogant

Noun

insolent (plural insolents)

A person who is insolent.

Source: Wiktionary


In"so*lent, a. Etym: [F. insolent, L. insolens, -entis, pref. in- not + solens accustomed, p. pr. of solere to be accustomed.]

1. Deviating from that which is customary; novel; strange; unusual. [Obs.] If one chance to derive any word from the Latin which is insolent to their ears . . . they forth with make a jest at it. Petti If any should accuse me of being new or insolent. Milton.

2. Haughty and contemptuous or brutal in behavior or language; overbearing; domineering; grossly rude or disrespectful; saucy; as, an insolent master; an insolent servant. "A paltry, insolent fellow." Shak. Insolent is he that despiseth in his judgment all other folks as in regard of his value, of his cunning, of his speaking, and of his bearing. Chaucer. Can you not see or will ye not observe . . . How insolent of late he is become, How proud, how peremptory Shak.

3. Proceeding from or characterized by insolence; insulting; as, insolent words or behavior. Their insolent triumph excited . . . indignation. Macaulay.

Syn.

– Overbearing; insulting; abusive; offensive; saucy; impudent; audacious; pert; impertinent; rude; reproachful; opprobrious.

– Insolent, Insulting. Insolent, in its primitive sense, simply denoted unusual; and to act insolently was to act in violation of the established rules of social intercourse. He who did this was insolent; and thus the word became one of the most offensive in our language, indicating gross disregard for the feelings of others. Insulting denotes a personal attack, either in words or actions, indicative either of scorn or triumph. Compare Impertinent, Affront, Impudence.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

28 January 2025

TAD

(noun) a slight amount or degree of difference; “a tad too expensive”; “not a tad of difference”; “the new model is a shade better than the old one”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

The average annual yield from one coffee tree is the equivalent of 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of roasted coffee. It takes about 4,000 hand-picked green coffee beans to make a pound of coffee.

coffee icon