GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Affront , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affronted; p. pr. & vb. n. Affronting.] [OF. afronter, F. affronter, to confront, LL. affrontare to strike against, fr. L. ad + frons forehead, front. See Front.]
   To front; to face in position; to meet or encounter face to face. [Obs.]
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   All the sea-coasts do affront the Levant.
   Holland.
   
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   That he, as 't were by accident, may here
   Affront Ophelia.
   Shak.
   
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   To face in defiance; to confront; as, to affront death; hence, to meet in hostile encounter. [Archaic]
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   To offend by some manifestation of disrespect; to insult to the face by demeanor or language; to treat with marked incivility.
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   How can any one imagine that the fathers would have dared to affront the wife of Aurelius?
   Addison.
   
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   Syn. -- To insult; abuse; outrage; wound; illtreat; slight; defy; offend; provoke; pique; nettle.
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2.       
   Affront, n. [Cf. F. affront, fr. affronter.]
   An encounter either friendly or hostile. [Obs.]
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   I walked about, admired of all, and dreaded
   On hostile ground, none daring my affront.
   Milton.
   
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   Contemptuous or rude treatment which excites or justifies resentment; marked disrespect; a purposed indignity; insult.
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   Offering an affront to our understanding.
   Addison.
   
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   An offense to one's self-respect; shame.
   Arbuthnot.
   
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   Syn. -- Affront, Insult, Outrage. An affront is a designed mark of disrespect, usually in the presence of others. An insult is a personal attack either by words or actions, designed to humiliate or degrade. An outrage is an act of extreme and violent insult or abuse. An affront piques and mortifies; an insult irritates and provokes; an outrage wounds and injures.
   Captious persons construe every innocent freedom into an affront. When people are in a state of animosity, they seek opportunities of offering each other insults. Intoxication or violent passion impels men to the commission of outrages.
   Crabb.
   
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