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taunt
taunt, an old expression for a sailing ship with very high masts and narrow sails. Such a rig enabled a ship to point higher to the wind, but it was apt to wring, or twist, a ship's side because of the relatively narrow base for the shrouds supporting the masts. North European ships—German, Dutch, and Scandinavian—were usually very taunt during the sailing era; British ships used shorter masts and broader sails, and in general enjoyed a longer life, being subject to less strain through wringing. See also all-a-taunt-o.
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Cite this article
"taunt." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taunt." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-taunt.html "taunt." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-taunt.html |
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taunt
taunt / tônt/ • n. a remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone. • v. [tr.] provoke or challenge (someone) with insulting remarks: students began taunting her about her weight. ∎ reproach (someone) with something in a contemptuous way: she had taunted him with going to another man. DERIVATIVES: taunt·er n. taunt·ing·ly adv. |
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Cite this article
"taunt." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taunt." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-taunt.html "taunt." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-taunt.html |
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taunt
taunt †in phr. taunt pour (or for) taunt tit for tat in reply; †smart rejoinder, witty jibe; scornful reproach or challenge XVI. orig. — F. phr. tant pour tant ‘so much for so much’, like for like (L. tantum, n. of tantus so great).
Hence taunt vb. †answer back; reproach scornfully. XVI. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "taunt." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "taunt." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-taunt.html T. F. HOAD. "taunt." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-taunt.html |
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taunt
taunt
•acquaint, ain't, attaint, complaint, constraint, distraint, faint, feint, paint, plaint, quaint, restraint, saint, taint
•spray-paint • greasepaint • warpaint
•asquint, bint, clint, dint, flint, glint, hint, imprint, lint, mint, misprint, print, quint, skint, splint, sprint, squint, stint, tint
•Septuagint • skinflint • catmint
•varmint • spearmint • calamint
•peppermint • enprint • screen print
•offprint • blueprint • newsprint
•footprint • thumbprint • fingerprint
•monotint • mezzotint • aquatint
•pint • Geraint
•Comte, conte, font, fount, pont, quant, Vermont, want
•Delfont • vicomte • Frémont
•piedmont • Beaumont • Hellespont
•passant • poste restante
•avaunt, daunt, flaunt, gaunt, haunt, jaunt, taunt, vaunt
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Cite this article
"taunt." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taunt." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-taunt.html "taunt." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-taunt.html |
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