gloat
pronunciation
How to pronounce gloat in British English:
UK [gləʊt]
How to pronounce gloat in American English:
US [gloʊt]
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- Noun:
- malicious satisfaction
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- Verb:
- dwell on with satisfaction
- gaze at or think about something with great self-satisfaction, gratification, or joy
Word Origin
- gloat (v.)
- 1570s, "to look at furtively," probably a variant of earlier glout "to gaze attentively, stare, scowl, look glum, pout" (mid-15c.), from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse glotta "to grin, smile scornfully and show the teeth," Swedish dialectal glotta "to peep;" or from Middle High German glotzen "to stare, gape," from the Germanic group of *gl- words that also includes glower. Sense of "to look at with malicious satisfaction, ponder with pleasure something that satisfies an evil passion" first recorded 1748. Johnson didn't recognize the word, and OED writes that it was probably "taken up in the 16th c. from some dialect." Related: Gloated; gloating. As a noun, from 1640s with sense of "side-glance;" 1899 as "act of gloating." Whosoever attempteth anything for the publike ... the same setteth himselfe upon a stage to be glouted upon by every evil eye. [translators' "note to the reader" in the 1611 King James Bible]
Example
- 1. The germans are less inclined than the french to gloat over mr cameron 's discomfiture .
- 2. Maybe you just came here to gloat , hmm ?
- 3. I say this , not to gloat , but to encourage you .
- 4. Jim likes to gloat over all the sports prizes he has own , which he keeps in a glass .
- 5. Not wanting him to gloat anymore , I said , " are youillegal ? "