AFFRONT

AFFRONT', verb transitive [Latin frons, front, face.]1. Literally, to meet or encounter face to face, in a good or bad sense; as, The seditious affronted the king's forces[The foregoing sense is obsolete.]2. To offer abuse to the face; to insult, dare or brave openly; to offer abuse or insult in any manner, by words or actions; as, to affront one by giving him the lie.3. To abuse, or give cause of offense to, without being present with the person; to make slightly angry; a popular use of the word.AFFRONT', noun 1. Opposition to the face; open defiance; encounter. obsolete 2. Ill treatment; abuse; any thing reproachful or contemptuous, that excites or justifies resentment, as foul language, or personal abuse. It usually expresses a less degree of abuse than insult3. Shame; disgrace. [Not used.]4. In popular language, slight resentment; displeasure.

---

affront. Affront, n. an insult, wrong, disgrace

---

Af‐front″ (�), 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.]] 1. 1. To front; to face in position; to meet or encounter face to face.
All the sea-coasts do affront the Levant. Holland. That he, as 't were by accident, may here Affront Ophelia. Shak. 2. 2. To face in defiance; to confront; as, to affront death; hence, to meet in hostile encounter.
3. 3. To offend by some manifestation of disrespect; to insult to the face by demeanor or language; to treat with marked incivility.
How can any one imagine that the fathers would have dared to affront the wife of Aurelius? Addison. Syn. — To insult; abuse; outrage; wound; illtreat; slight; defy; offend; provoke; pique; nettle.