taunt

CEFRB2

/tɔːnt/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To mock or challenge someone in an insulting way.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    A scornful or mocking remark; a jeer or mockery.

Examples

  • Don't taunt him. He's liable to fight back eventually.

  • The boy continued to taunt his younger brother.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. Very high or tall.

  2. To make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner.

More examples

In context

  • VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.

  • The attacks and the failure to catch the killer created an atmosphere of fear and dismay throughout Yorkshire, and provoked grim taunts to the police at Leeds United football matches such as “Ripper 10, Police nil”

  • the great ships, for want of ſufficient masts, will lose the advantages the taunt masts would procure

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The mean kids would blank the new student because of his strange accent.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle French tanter (“to tempt, try, provoke”), variant of Old French tempter (“to try”). Doublet of tempt.