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Insult vs Gibe - What's the difference?

insult | gibe | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between insult and gibe

is that insult is to offend (someone) by being rude, insensitive or insolent; to demean or affront (someone) while gibe is to cause to execute a gibe (2, 3).

As verbs the difference between insult and gibe

is that insult is to behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (over, against) while gibe is to perform a jibe (2, 3).

As nouns the difference between insult and gibe

is that insult is an action or form of speech deliberately intended to be rude while gibe is a facetious or insulting remark; a jeer or taunt.

As a proper noun GibE is

abbreviation of Gibraltarian English|lang=en.

insult

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (over, against).
  • *, II.3.3:
    • thou hast lost all, poor thou art, dejected, in pain of body, grief of mind, thine enemies insult over thee, thou art as bad as Job […].
  • To offend (someone) by being rude, insensitive or insolent; to demean or affront (someone).
  • (obsolete) To leap or trample upon; to make a sudden onset upon.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * (to offend) abuse, affront, offend, slight * See also

    Antonyms

    *compliment

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An action or form of speech deliberately intended to be rude.
  • * Savage
    • the ruthless sneer that insult adds to grief
  • * 1987 , Jamie Lee Curtis, A Fish Called Wanda :
    • To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people!
  • Anything that causes offence/offense, e.g. by being of an unacceptable quality.
    • The way the orchestra performed tonight was an insult to my ears.
  • (medicine) Something causing disease or injury to the body or bodily processes.
  • * 2006 , Stephen G. Lomber, Jos J. Eggermont, Reprogramming the Cerebral Cortex (page 415)
  • * 2011 , Terence Allen and Graham Cowling, The Cell: A Very Short Introduction , Oxford 2011, p. 96:
    • Within the complex genome of most organisms there are alternative multiple pathways of proteins which can help the individual cell survive a variety of insults , for example radiation, toxic chemicals, heat, excessive or reduced oxygen.
  • (obsolete) The act of leaping on; onset; attack.
    • (Dryden)

    Synonyms

    * (deliberatedly intended to be rude) abuse (uncountable), affront, offence (UK)/offense (US), pejorative, slam, slight, slur * (thing causing offence by being of unacceptable quality) disgrace, outrage * See also

    Antonyms

    *compliment

    Related terms

    * insolence * insultation

    Anagrams

    * * English heteronyms

    gibe

    English

    Alternative forms

    * gybe * jibe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A facetious or insulting remark; a jeer or taunt.
  • * 1603 , , Hamlet , act 5, scene 1:
    • Hamlet : Alas, poor Yorick! . . . Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar?

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To perform a jibe (2, 3).
  • To agree.
    • That explanation doesn't gibe with the facts.
  • To cause to execute a gibe (2, 3).
  • (ambitransitive) To reproach with contemptuous words; to deride; to mock.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • Draw the beasts as I describe them, / From their features, while I gibe them.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • Fleer and gibe , and laugh and flout.

    Anagrams

    *