Webster's English Dictionary

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affront

Cross references:
  1. offend                
 
1. af.front \*-'fr*nt\ vt [ME afronten, fr. MF afronter to defy, fr. 
   (assumed) VL affronta]re, fr. L ad- + front-, frons forehead - more at 
   FRONT 1: to insult esp. to the face by behavior or language : OFFEND  2a: 
   to face in defiance : CONFRONT  obs  2b: to encounter face to face  3: to 
   appear directly before 
2. affront n 1a: a deliberately offensive act or utterance  1b: an offense 
   to one's self-respect  obs  2: a hostile encounter d usu. open act of 
   disrespect; INSULT implies an attack intended to humiliate or degrade; 
   INDIGNITY suggests an outrageous offense to one's personal dignity SYN syn 
   INSULT, INDIGNITY: AFFRONT implies a deliberate an