verb , noun
■ verb
/ ɪnˈsʌlt; NAmE / [ vn ] to say or do sth that offends sb :
I have never been so insulted in my life!
She felt insulted by the low offer.
■ noun
/ ˈɪnsʌlt/ insult (to sb/sth) a remark or an action that is said or done in order to offend sb :
The crowd were shouting insults at the police.
His comments were seen as an insult to the president.
The questions were an insult to our intelligence (= too easy) .
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IDIOMS
see add
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense exult, act arrogantly ): from Latin insultare jump or trample on, from in- on + saltare , from salire to leap. The noun (in the early 17th cent. denoting an attack) is from French insulte or ecclesiastical Latin insultus . The main current senses date from the 17th cent..