Innuedoes

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Innuendo \In`nu*en"do\, n.; pl. {Innuedoes}(?). [L., by
     intimation, by hinting, gerund of innuere, innutum, to give a
     nod, to intimate; pref. in- in, to + -nuere (in comp.) to
     nod. See {Nutation}.]
     1. An oblique hint; a remote allusion or reference, usually
        derogatory to a person or thing not named; an insinuation.


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              Mercury . . . owns it a marriage by an innuendo.
                                                    --Dryden.
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              Pursue your trade of scandal picking;
              Your innuendoes, when you tell us,
              That Stella loves to talk with fellows. --Swift.
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     2. (Law) An averment employed in pleading, to point the
        application of matter otherwise unintelligible; an
        interpretative parenthesis thrown into quoted matter to
        explain an obscure word or words; -- as, the plaintiff
        avers that the defendant said that he (innuendo the
        plaintiff) was a thief. --Wharton.
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     Note: The term is so applied from having been the
           introductory word of this averment or parenthetic
           explanation when pleadings were in Latin. The word
           "meaning" is used as its equivalent in modern forms.
  
     Syn: Insinuation; suggestion; hint; intimation; reference;
          allusion; implication; representation; -- {Innuendo},
          {Insinuation}.
  
     Usage: An innuendo is an equivocal allusion so framed as to
            point distinctly at something which is injurious to
            the character or reputation of the person referred to.
            An insinuation turns on no such double use of
            language, but consists in artfully winding into the
            mind imputations of an injurious nature without making
            any direct charge.
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