insinuate (v.)

1520s, "to covertly and subtly introduce into the mind or heart" (trans.), from Latin insinuatus, past participle of insinuare "to thrust in, push in, make a way; creep in, intrude, bring in by windings and curvings, wind one's way into," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + sinuare "to wind, bend, curve," from sinus "a curve, winding" (see sinus).

Intransitive meaning "hint obliquely" is from 1560s. Meaning "maneuver (someone or something) into some desired position or condition" is from 1570s. Physical or literal sense of "to introduce tortuously or indirectly" is from 1640s. Related: Insinuated; insinuating.

also from 1520s

Entries linking to insinuate

insinuating (adj.)

"wheedling, ingratiating," 1590s, present-participle adjective from insinuate (v.). Related: Insinuatingly.

sinus (n.)

early 15c., in anatomy, "hollow curve or cavity in the body" (Chauliac), from Medieval Latin sinus, from Latin sinus "bend, fold, curve, a bent surface; a bay, bight, gulf; a fold in land;" also "fold of the toga about the breast," hence "bosom," and figuratively "love, affection, intimacy; interior, inmost part;" a word of unknown origin. De Vaan writes that it is "probably to be connected with" Albanian gji "breast." In 17c.-18c. English writers also sometimes used it in the classical senses of "a bay, gulf, or arm of the sea; a cavity or hole in the earth," but these uses are obsolete.

insinuation

sinuate

*en

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insinuation

1520s, "act of making an indirect suggestion;" 1530s, "that which is indirectly suggested," from French insinuation (16c.) or directly from Latin insinuationem (nominative insinuatio) "entrance through a narrow way; an ingratiating oneself," noun of action from past-participle st

intimate

1630s, "closely acquainted, very familiar," also "inmost, intrinsic," from Late Latin intimatus, past participle of intimare "make known, announce, impress," from Latin intimus "inmost, innermost, deepest" (adj.), also used figuratively, of affections, feelings, and as a noun, "c

adumbrate

1580s, "to outline, to sketch," from Latin adumbratus "sketched, shadowed in outline," also "feigned, unreal, sham, fictitious," past participle of adumbrare "cast a shadow over;" in painting, "to represent (a thing) in outline," from ad "to" (see ad-) + umbrare "to cast in shado

sneer

The meaning "grin or smile contemptuously" is from 1670s; that of "speak derisively, insinuate contempt in words" is by 1707...

introduce

early 15c., "convey or bring (something) in or into," a back-formation from introduction or else from Latin introducere "to lead in, bring in," from intro- "inward, to the inside" (see intro-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). Meaning "to bring forward, open to

reduction

early 15c., reduccioun, "a restoring to a former state" (a sense now obsolete), also "a conquest or subjugation" (of a people, etc.), from Old French reducion (13c., Modern French réduction) and directly from Latin reductionem (nominative reductio) "a leading back, restoration,"

suggest

1520s, "place before another's mind; put forward a proposition," from Latin suggestus, past participle of suggerere "bring up, bring under, lay beneath; furnish, afford, supply; prompt" (see suggestion). The meaning "act so as to call up the idea of (something else); introduce to

thin

Old English þynne "narrow, lean, scanty, not dense; fluid, tenuous; weak, poor," from Proto-Germanic *thunni "thin" (source also of West Frisian ten, Middle Low German dunne, Middle Dutch dunne, Dutch dun, Old High German dunni, German dünn, Old Norse þunnr, Swedish tunn, Danish

hint

c. 1600 (Shakespeare), "an indirect suggestion intended to be caught by the knowing," apparently from obsolete hent, from Middle English hinten "to tell, inform" (c. 1400), from Old English hentan "to seize," from Proto-Germanic *hantijan (source also of Gothic hinþan "to seize")

conviction

mid-15c., "the proving or finding of guilt of an offense charged," from Late Latin convictionem (nominative convictio) "proof, refutation," noun of action from past-participle stem of convincere "to overcome decisively," from com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + v

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updated on September 28, 2017

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insinuate

insinuating

insinuation

insipid

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