tr.v., -front·ed, -front·ing, -fronts.

1. To insult intentionally, especially openly. See synonyms at offend.
2. 1. To meet defiantly; confront.
   2. Obsolete. To meet or encounter face to face.

n.

1. An open or intentional offense, slight, or insult: Such behavior is an affront to society.
2. Obsolete. A hostile encounter or meeting.

[Middle English afrounten, from Old French afronter : Latin ad-, ad- + Latin frōns, front-, face; see front.]

Majority Leader Bill Frist made it clear his feelings were hurt — in fact, he was triply affronted — by the Democrats' maneuver in hijacking a Senate session to discuss prewar Iraq intelligence:

"Frist was now sputtering. 'This is an affront to me personally. It's an affront to our leadership. It's an affront to the United States of America!'"

Link: Temper-tantrums and tumult on Senate floor

Posted November 3, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

verb

To cause resentment or hurt by callous, rude behavior: huff, insult, miff, offend, outrage, pique. Idioms: add insult to injury, give offense to. See attack/defend, pain/pleasure.

noun

An act that offends a person's sense of pride or dignity: contumely, despite, indignity, insult, offense, outrage, slight. Idioms: slap in the face. See attack/defend.

n

Definition: an insult
Antonyms: appeasement, compliment, pleasantry

v

Definition: insult or involve in entanglement
Antonyms: appease, assuage, compliment, gratify, mollify, placate, please, satisfy, soothe

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IN BRIEF: To insult on purpose.

A moral, sensible, and well-bred man Will not affront me, and no other can. — William Cowper (1731-1800); English poet

Dansk (Danish)
n. - fornærmelse, krænkelse
v. tr. - fornærme, krænke

Nederlands (Dutch)
belediging, beledigen, confronteren

Français (French)
n. - offense, affront
v. tr. - offenser, insulter, faire un affront à

Deutsch (German)
n. - Beleidigung
v. - beleidigen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - προσβάλλω, θίγω, αψηφώ, αντιμετωπίζω θαρραλέα
n. - προσβολή, λοιδορία

Italiano (Italian)
insultare, affrontare, oltraggio, affronto

Português (Portuguese)
v. - ofender, insultar, fazer face
n. - injúria (f), insulto (m)

Русский (Russian)
оскорблять, смело смотреть в лицо чему-то, оскорбление, обида

Español (Spanish)
n. - agravio, ofensa, afrenta
v. tr. - afrentar, agraviar, insultar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - skymfa, trotsa
n. - skymf, förolämpning

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
公然侮辱, 轻蔑, 公开侮辱, 冒犯, 面对

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 公然侮辱, 輕蔑
v. tr. - 公開侮辱, 冒犯, 面對

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 모욕
v. tr. - 모욕하다, 과감하게 맞서다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 公然たる侮辱, 侮辱, 無礼な言動
v. - はずかしめる, 敢然と立ち向かう, 侮辱する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يهين, يتحدى (الاسم) إهانه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮עלבון, פגיעה‬
v. tr. - ‮העליב, פגע‬

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