flout
/flaʊt/ verb, noun
Forms flouts flouting flouted
- verb (transitive) To express contempt for (laws, rules, etc.) by word or action.
- verb (transitive, archaic) To scorn.
- noun The act by which something is flouted; violation of a law.
- noun A mockery or insult.
Synonyms
Etymology
Perhaps from Middle English flouten (“to play the flute”); compare with Dutch fluiten.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To mock or insult; to treat with contempt.
- verb To practice mocking; to behave with contempt; to sneer; to fleer; --often with at. Fleer and gibe, and laugh and flout. Swift.
- noun A mock; an insult.
Etymology [OD. fluyten to play the flute, to jeer, D. fluiten, fr. fluit, fr. French. See Flute.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “flout”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details