Dictionary

affront en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈfrənt/ (US)
• /əˈfɹʊnt/ (Northern-England)
• (Australia) audio
• /əˈfɹʌnt/

Etymology

From Middle English afrounten, from Old French afronter (“to hit in the face; to defy”), from Vulgar Latin *affrontare (“to hit in the face”), from Latin ad (“to”) + frōns (“forehead”) (English front). By surface analysis, af- + front.

Meanings

1. An open or intentional offense, slight, or insult.
   • Such behavior is an affront to society.
   • This day, thou ſhalt haue ingots : and, to morrow, / Giue lords th’ affront. 1610, Ben Jonson, “The Alchemist”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson, London: Will Stansby, published 1616, act II, scene ii, page 620:
2. (obsolete) A hostile encounter or meeting.

Forms

Antonyms

honor · tribute

Relateds

effrontery

Translations (44)

et solvang (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · el ύβρις (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ca afront (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · eo insulto (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · de Affront (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · mk соочу́вање (hostile encounter or meeting) · bg обида (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · gl axe (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · hu sértés (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · mk на́вреда (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · es afrenta (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · sh suočavanje (hostile encounter or meeting) · fi loukkaus (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · gl afronta (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ro afront (hostile encounter or meeting) · fr défi (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · pl awania (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · sh у̏вреда (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ca ofensa (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · da fornærmelse (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · sv skymf (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ru оскорбле́ние (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · nb fornærmelse (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ca greuge (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · it affronto (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ro afront (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · fi solvaus (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · fr duel (hostile encounter or meeting) · es baldón (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · hy վիրավորանք (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · cs urážka (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · bg оскърбление (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · sh ȕvreda (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · da forhånelse (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · pl afront (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · ga tarcaisne (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · pt afronta (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · es afruenta (disused) (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · mk спротивставу́вање (hostile encounter or meeting) · sh konfrontacija (hostile encounter or meeting) · fr rencontre (hostile encounter or meeting) · fr affront (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · la offensa (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult) · sv förolämpning (open or intentional offense, slight, or insult)

affront en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈfrənt/ (US)
• /əˈfɹʊnt/ (Northern-England)
• (Australia) audio
• /əˈfɹʌnt/

Etymology

From Middle English afrounten, from Old French afronter (“to hit in the face; to defy”), from Vulgar Latin *affrontare (“to hit in the face”), from Latin ad (“to”) + frōns (“forehead”) (English front). By surface analysis, af- + front.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To insult intentionally, especially openly.
   • But beſides, that ſuch a thought was inconſiſtent with the gravity of a Senate, how can one imagine that the Fathers would have dared affront the Wife of Aurelius, and the Mother of Commodus, or that they could think of giving offence to an Empreſs whom they afterwards Defied, and to an Emperor that was the darling of the army and people? 1701–03, Joseph Addison, “The Isle of Caprea”, in Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c., published 1721, page 92:
2. (transitive) To be an affront to; offend.
   • European fear and contempt for the American Indian, Allen contends, largely came about because the sexual, economic, and political ways of the woman-centered tribes affronted their own patriarchal assumptions. 1986 February 15, Patricia Clark Smith, “A Fresh Wind in the Museum: The Sacred Hoop”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 39, page B7:
3. (transitive) To meet defiantly; to confront.
   • Avignon was beginning to settle down for the night – that long painful stretch of time which must somehow be affronted. 1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 436:
   • to affront death
4. (obsolete, transitive) To meet or encounter face to face.
   • Many Iſlands there lie all over that ſea : but one above the reſt, and moſt renowned, is Tazata : for thither all the ſhipping from out of the Caſpian ſea and the Scythian Ocean, doe bend their courſe and there arrive : for that all the ſea coaſts doe affront the Levant, and turne into the Eaſt. 1601, Pliny the Elder, translated by Philemon Holland, The History of the World, volume I, translation of Naturalis Historia (in Classical Latin), published 1634, book VI, page 124:
   • Sweet Gertrude leaue vs too, / For we haue cloſely ſent for Hamlet hither, / That he, as ’twere by accident, may there / Affront Ophelia. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 265, column 1:

Forms

Deriveds

affrontee · affrontery · affrontive · affrontable · affrontment

Translations (42)

fr jeter le gant (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · da fornærme (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · sh uvrijéditi (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mk се со́очи (4. to meet or encounter face to face) · cs urazit (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fi loukata (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · sv skymfa (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mi whakatima (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · mi whakamania (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · nl beledigen (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fi herjata (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fr défier (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · bg оскърбявам (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · hy վիրավորել (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fr envoyer un cartel (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fr aller sur le pré (4. to meet or encounter face to face) · pt afrontar (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · pt encarar (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · mk на́вреди (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · ga maslaigh (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mi whakamanioro (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · cs vysmívat se (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fr se confronter (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · es afrontar (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · fi solvata (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · fi vastustaa (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · sh inzultirati (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · pl afrontować (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · hu sért (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mi muheni (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mk се со́очи (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · fr rencontrer sur le terrain (4. to meet or encounter face to face) · de beleidigen (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · mi muhani (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · sv förolämpa (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · ru оскорбля́ть (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · it insultare (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · pt afrontar (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · es afrentar (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly) · bg излизам насреща на (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · mi whakamīrei (3. to meet defiantly; confront) · es afrontar (1. to insult intentionally, especially openly)