taunt

/tɔ:nt/

Thân thiện

The bully shouted a cruel taunt across the playground.

Definition

1. Verb:

   • To intentionally provoke or annoy someone by making unkind remarks, mocking them, or criticizing them in a scornful way. This action is meant to upset or challenge the person.
   • To reproach or challenge someone in a mocking or insulting manner.

2. Noun:

   • A scornful, mocking, or insulting remark or action intended to hurt someone's feelings or provoke them.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:

  • The older children would often taunt him about his glasses.
  • He was taunted by his opponents for his cautious strategy.
  • She ignored the people who tried to taunt her.

• Noun:

  • He had to endure the cruel taunts of his classmates.
  • Their shouts were just empty taunts, meant to get a reaction.
  • She responded to their taunt with dignified silence.

Advanced Usage

• "to taunt someone with something": To mock or provoke someone by mentioning a particular thing.

  • The prisoners were taunted with promises of food they would never receive.

• As a descriptive adjective (less common): In a nautical context, 'taunt' can describe masts that are very tall and straight. This is a specialized, historical usage.

  • The ship was recognized by its taunt masts.

Variants and Related Words

• Taunter (noun): A person who taunts.

  • The main taunter was eventually disciplined.

• Taunting (adjective/noun): Describing a mocking action or the act itself.

  • She gave him a taunting smile. (adjective)
  • The constant taunting became unbearable. (noun)

Synonyms

• Verb: Tease, mock, jeer, ridicule, deride, provoke, bait, goad.
• Noun: Jeer, gibe, barb, insult, sneer, dig.

Related Phrases

• To rise above the taunts: To not be affected or upset by mocking remarks.
  • A good leader must learn to rise above the taunts.

Idioms

• "Consider the source of the taunt": An idiom advising someone to dismiss an insult because it comes from someone not worthy of respect.
  • When they criticized her work, she just laughed and said, "Consider the source."

Học thuật

Noun

1. aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing

Verb

1. harass with persistent criticism or carping
   • The children teased the new teacher
   • Don't ride me so hard over my failure
   • His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie

Từ đồng nghĩa

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