affront

Definitions

ad- (toward), reduced to af- before f, + front (face) = to come straight at someone's face. An affront is disrespect delivered face-to-face, openly and on purpose — not a slip but a slap. The face-forward directness is what makes it sting and impossible to ignore.

Why It Means This

Affront keeps the literal picture of going at someone's face. That is why it implies an insult that is open, deliberate, and public — disrespect you cannot pretend you didn't see, because it was aimed right between the eyes. The common collocation 'an affront to' extends this to abstractions: an affront to justice, to decency, to common sense — something that slaps a principle in the face.

Common Collocations

• 1.an affront to对…的侮辱
• 2.deliberate affront蓄意的冒犯
• 3.personal affront人身侮辱
• 4.feel affronted感到受辱
• 5.deeply affronted深受冒犯

Example Sentences

• 1.

  His rude remark was a deliberate affront to the host.

• 2.

  She felt affronted by their refusal to even shake hands.

• 3.

  Such corruption is an affront to ordinary taxpayers.

Easily Confused

affront vs insult vs offend — insult is the general word for hurtful disrespect. affront is stronger and more formal: an open, deliberate insult to someone's dignity, often used as 'an affront to [a principle].' offend is broadest and can be accidental (sorry if I offended you); an affront is never accidental.