Taunt

  • 11Taunt — A taunt is a battle cry, a method in hand to hand combat, sarcastic remark, or insult intended to make the other feel miserable and powerless. Taunting is a form of social competition, of which purpose is to gain control of the target s cultural… …

    Wikipedia

  • 12taunt — I n. to hurl a taunt at smb. II v. 1) (D; tr.) to taunt about 2) (d; tr.) to taunt into (to taunt smb. into doing smt.) * * * [tɔːnt] (D; tr.) to taunt about to hurl a taunt at smb. (d: tr.) to taunt into (to taunt smb. into doing smt.) …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 13taunt — [16] The etymological notion underlying taunt is of giving someone tit for tat, of returning as much in reply as has been given. It comes from the French phrase tant pour tant ‘so much for so much’. This was borrowed into English in the early… …

    The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • 14taunt — [16] The etymological notion underlying taunt is of giving someone tit for tat, of returning as much in reply as has been given. It comes from the French phrase tant pour tant ‘so much for so much’. This was borrowed into English in the early… …

    Word origins

  • 15taunt — I UK [tɔːnt] / US [tɔnt] verb [transitive] Word forms taunt : present tense I/you/we/they taunt he/she/it taunts present participle taunting past tense taunted past participle taunted to shout cruel things at someone in order to make them angry… …

    English dictionary

  • 16taunt´er — taunt1 «tnt, tahnt», verb, noun. –v.t. 1. to jeer at; mock; reproach; ridicule: »Some mean girls taunted her because she was poor. SYNONYM(S): deride, gibe, flout. 2. to get or drive by taunts; provoke: » …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 17taunt — taunt1 [to:nt US to:nt] v [T] [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Perhaps from Old French tenter to try, tempt ] to try to make someone angry or upset by saying unkind things to them taunt sb about sth ▪ The other children taunted him about his weight.… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 18taunt — I [[t]tɔnt, tɑnt[/t]] v. t. 1) to reproach in a sarcastic or insulting manner; mock 2) to provoke by taunts; twit 3) a scornful or sarcastic reproach or challenge; gibe; insult • Etymology: 1505–15; orig. uncert. taunt′er, n. taunt′ing•ly, adv.… …

    From formal English to slang

  • 19taunt — taunt1 [ tɔnt ] verb transitive to shout cruel things at someone in order to make them angry or upset taunt taunt 2 [ tɔnt ] noun count a cruel remark that is intended to make someone angry or upset …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 20taunt — n. & v. n. a thing said in order to anger or wound a person. v.tr. 1 assail with taunts. 2 reproach (a person) contemptuously. Derivatives: taunter n. tauntingly adv. Etymology: 16th c., in phr. taunt for taunt f. F tant pour tant tit for tat,… …

    Useful english dictionary