taunt
pronunciation
How to pronounce taunt in British English:
UK [tɔːnt]
How to pronounce taunt in American English:
US [tɔːnt]
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- Noun:
- aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing
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- Verb:
- harass with persistent criticism or carping
Word Origin
- taunt
- taunt: [16] The etymological notion underlying taunt is of giving someone tit for tat, of returning as much in reply as has been given. It comes from the French phrase tant pour tant ‘so much for so much’. This was borrowed into English in the early 16th century as taunt pour taunt or (partially anglicized) taunt for taunt, which was used for a ‘sarcastic rejoinder’. The first record of the use of taunt on its own (as a verb) dates from 1513.
- taunt (v.)
- mid-15c. (implied in tauntingly), possibly [Skeat] from Middle French tanter, tenter "to tempt, try, provoke," variant of tempter "to try" (see tempt). Or from Middle French tant pour tant "so much for so much, tit for tat," on notion of "sarcastic rejoinder" (considered by OED the "most likely suggestion"). Related: Taunted; taunting.
- taunt (n.)
- 1520s, "bitter invective," probably from taunt (v.).
Example
- 1. They do not taunt you to finish what you started .
- 2. There was a test in dex 's tone , maybe a taunt .
- 3. They taunt the local villagers and sometimes attackthem .
- 4. Some preferred to tease and taunt him to his death , and then continued to taunt his hanging corpse .
- 5. Indirectly accused by sony in a letter to congress yesterday , based on the appearance of a text file left behind to taunt system operators containing the phrase " we are legion , " the group says it has never been known to engage in credit card theft .