'Insolent' definitions:
Definition of 'insolent'
From: WordNet
adjective
Marked by casual disrespect; "a flip answer to serious question"; "the student was kept in for impudent behavior" [syn: impudent, insolent, snotty-nosed, flip]
adjective
Unrestrained by convention or propriety; "an audacious trick to pull"; "a barefaced hypocrite"; "the most bodacious display of tourism this side of Anaheim"- Los Angeles Times; "bald-faced lies"; "brazen arrogance"; "the modern world with its quick material successes and insolent belief in the boundless possibilities of progress"- Bertrand Russell [syn: audacious, barefaced, bodacious, bald-faced, brassy, brazen, brazen-faced, insolent]
Definition of 'Insolent'
From: GCIDE
- Insolent \In"so*lent\, a. [F. insolent, L. insolens, -entis, pref. in- not + solens accustomed, p. pr. of solere to be accustomed.] [1913 Webster]
- 1. Deviating from that which is customary; novel; strange; unusual. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- If one chance to derive any word from the Latin which is insolent to their ears . . . they forthwith make a jest at it. --Pettie. [1913 Webster]
- If any should accuse me of being new or insolent. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Haughty and contemptuous or brutal in behavior or language; overbearing; domineering; grossly rude or disrespectful; saucy; as, an insolent master; an insolent servant. "A paltry, insolent fellow." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Insolent is he that despiseth in his judgment all other folks as in regard of his value, of his cunning, of his speaking, and of his bearing. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- Can you not see? or will ye not observe . . . How insolent of late he is become, How proud, how peremptory? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Proceeding from or characterized by insolence; insulting; as, insolent words or behavior. [1913 Webster]
- Their insolent triumph excited . . . indignation. --Macaulay.
- Syn: Overbearing; insulting; abusive; offensive; saucy; impudent; audacious; pert; impertinent; rude; reproachful; opprobrious.
- Usage: Insolent, Insulting. Insolent, in its primitive sense, simply denoted unusual; and to act insolently was to act in violation of the established rules of social intercourse. He who did this was insolent; and thus the word became one of the most offensive in our language, indicating gross disregard for the feelings of others. Insulting denotes a personal attack, either in words or actions, indicative either of scorn or triumph. Compare Impertinent, Affront, Impudence. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'insolent'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abusive,
- arrogant,
- assuming,
- atrocious,
- audacious,
- aweless,
- backhand,
- backhanded,
- bold,
- brash,
- brassy,
- brazen,
- brazenfaced,
- bumptious,
- callous,
- calumnious,
- cavalier,
- challenging,
- cheeky,
- cocky,
- cold,
- contemptuous,
- contumelious,
- cool,
- crude,
- daring,
- defiant,
- defying,
- degrading,
- derisive,
- dictatorial,
- discourteous,
- disdainful,
- disparaging,
- disregardful,
- disrespectful,
- familiar,
- forward,
- fresh,
- greatly daring,
- hard,
- hardened,
- haughty,
- high-and-mighty,
- hubristic,
- humiliating,
- impenitent,
- imperative,
- impertinent,
- impolite,
- improvident,
- imprudent,
- impudent,
- inaffable,
- incautious,
- indiscreet,
- injudicious,
- insubordinate,
- insulting,
- irreverent,
- left-handed,
- lofty,
- magisterial,
- obdurate,
- obtrusive,
- offensive,
- outrageous,
- overbearing,
- overbold,
- overcareless,
- overconfident,
- overpresumptuous,
- oversure,
- overweening,
- peremptory,
- pert,
- presuming,
- presumptuous,
- procacious,
- pushy,
- rash,
- regardless of consequences,
- ridiculing,
- rude,
- saucy,
- scurrile,
- scurrilous,
- self-appointed,
- self-elect,
- supercilious,
- superior,
- temerarious,
- unabject,
- unaccommodating,
- unchary,
- uncivil,
- uncomplaisant,
- uncontrite,
- uncourteous,
- uncourtly,
- ungallant,
- ungracious,
- unmelted,
- unpolite,
- unrepentant,
- unrepenting,
- unsoftened,
- unspeakable,
- untouched,
- unwary,
- uppish,
- uppity,
- wise,
- would-be