Affronting

a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult:
an affront to the king.
an offense to one’s dignity or self-respect.
to offend by an open manifestation of disrespect or insolence:
his speech affronted all of us.
to make ashamed or confused; embarr-ss.
archaic. to front; face; look on.
obsolete. to meet or encounter face to face; confront.
contemporary examples

charlier said the venetians had been nervous of affronting the artists.
my biennale favorites anthony haden-guest june 7, 2009

historical examples

they were meekly going to their tasks while he was affronting men with more millions than he had checks on the newest suit.
bunker bean harry leon wilson

“allah preserve us from affronting him,” whispered the caliph.
the pacha of many tales frederick marryat

the landlord could not dream of affronting me by anything like a reasonable charge!
letters of samuel taylor coleridge, vol. i (of 2) samuel taylor coleridge

she amazed him, sitting there in the purple stockings and the affronting gown, and he admired.
the pretty lady arnold e. bennett

but in his eagerness to secure the alliance of florence, he committed the fatal mistake of affronting the venetians.
beatrice d’este, d-ch-ss of milan, 1475-1497 julia mary cartwright

mrs moodie tried every means of affronting her, but long without success.
blackwood’s edinburgh magazine, volume 71, no. 437, march 1852 various

as if he felt himself full to the throat with affronting sentiments.
our mutual friend charles d-ckens

he paused for a moment to look out; his heart beat uncomfortably, as though he were affronting some unknown danger.
crome yellow aldous huxley

for these two, who ventured to come to her in their happiness, affronting her anguish, was arthurs heart to be broken too?
salem chapel, v. 2/2 mrs. oliphant

noun
a deliberate insult
verb (transitive)
to insult, esp openly
to offend the pride or dignity of
(obsolete) to confront defiantly
v.

early 14c., from old french afronter “to face, confront, to slap in the face” (13c.), from late latin affrontare “to strike against,” from latin ad frontem “to the face,” from frons (genitive frontis) “forehead” (see front (n.)). related: affronted; affronting.
n.

1590s, from affront (v.).