Insinuation

4 definitions found

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

  Insinuation \In*sin"u*a`tion\, n. [L. insinuatio: cf. F.
     insinuation.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The act or process of insinuating; a creeping, winding, or
        flowing in.
        [1913 Webster]


  
              By a soft insinuation mix'd
              With earth's large mass.              --Crashaw.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by
        gentle or artful means; -- formerly used in a good sense,
        as of friendly influence or interposition. --Sir H.
        Wotton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I hope through the insinuation of Lord Scarborough
              to keep them here till further orders. --Lady
                                                    Cowper.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The art or power of gaining good will by a prepossessing
        manner.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He bad a natural insinuation and address which made
              him acceptable in the best company.   --Clarendon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. That which is insinuated; a hint; a suggestion or
        intimation by distant allusion; as, slander may be
        conveyed by insinuations.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I scorn your coarse insinuation.      --Cowper.
  
     Syn: Hint; intimation; suggestion. See {Innuendo}.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  insinuation
       n 1: an indirect (and usually malicious) implication [syn: {innuendo}]
       2: the act of gaining acceptance or affection for yourself by
          persuasive and subtle blandishments; "she refused to use
          insinuation in order to gain favor" [syn: {ingratiation}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  217 Moby Thesaurus words for "insinuation":
     access, accusal, accusation, accusing, admission, allegation,
     allegement, animadversion, apple-polishing, arraignment,
     ascendancy, ascription, aside, aspersion, ass-kissing, authority,
     backscratching, bill of particulars, blame, bootlicking,
     bringing of charges, bringing to book, broad hint, brown-nosing,
     charge, charisma, charm, clout, clue, complaint, consequence,
     control, count, credit, cringing, cue, delation, denouncement,
     denunciation, dominance, domination, effect, embedment, eminence,
     enchantment, encroachment, entrance, entree, entrenchment, entry,
     episode, esteem, favor, fawnery, fawning, flunkyism, footlicking,
     force, gentle hint, gesture, glimmer, glimmering, good feeling,
     graft, grafting, groveling, handshaking, hint, hold, impaction,
     impactment, impeachment, impingement, implantation, implication,
     import, importance, importation, importing, imposition, imputation,
     incidental power, income, incoming, incursion, index, indication,
     indictment, infiltration, infix, infixion, influence,
     influentiality, influx, information, infringement, infusion,
     ingoing, ingratiation, ingress, ingression, injection, inkling,
     innuendo, inoculation, input, inroad, insert, insertion, intake,
     intercalation, interference, interjection, interlineation,
     interlocution, interloping, interpenetration, interpolation,
     interposition, interposure, interruption, intervention, intimation,
     introduction, introgression, intromission, intrusion, invasion,
     irruption, kick, lawsuit, laying of charges, leadership, leakage,
     leverage, look, magnetism, mastery, mealymouthedness, moment, nod,
     nudge, obeisance, obiter dictum, obsequiousness, obtrusion,
     parasitism, parenthesis, penetration, percolation, perfusion,
     personal remark, personality, persuasion, plaint, potency, power,
     predominance, preponderance, pressure, prestige, prompt,
     prosecution, prostration, purchase, reception, reflection, reign,
     remark, reproach, repute, rule, say, scent, seepage, side remark,
     sign, signal, slur, sly suggestion, sponging, spoor, suasion,
     subtle influence, suggestion, suit, supremacy, suspicion, sway,
     sycophancy, symptom, taxing, telltale, tessellation, timeserving,
     toadeating, toadying, toadyism, tossing-in, track, transplant,
     transplantation, trespass, trespassing, truckling, true bill,
     tufthunting, uncomplimentary remark, unlawful entry,
     unspoken accusation, upper hand, veiled accusation, weight,
     whip hand, whisper, whispering campaign, wink
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  INSINUATION, civil law. The transcription of an act on the public registers, 
  like our recording of deeds. It was not necessary in any other alienation, 
  but that appropriated to the purpose of donation. Inst. 2, 7, 2; Poth. 
  Traite des Donations, entre vifs, sect. 2, art. 3, Sec. 3; Encyclopedie; 8 
  Toull. n. 198.