Taunts

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Words meant to mock or insult someone ; to say things intended to provoke or ridicule another person
2. Verbal teasing or jibes aimed at bothering someone ; the act of making fun of or taunting someone to upset or challenge them
3. Remarks intended to provoke anger or humiliation ; the process of delivering provoking or insulting comments to someone

Etymology: "Taunts" is the third-person singular form of "taunt", so the story belongs to the verb. The verb descends from Middle French "tanter", meaning "to tempt, try, provoke", a variant of Old French "tempter", "to try". That makes it a doublet of "tempt": the same Latin source, "temptare", entered English twice, once as "tempt" and once through French as "taunt". The two words drifted so far apart that few speakers would guess they share a root. The sense of "tempting" or "testing" a person narrowed over time into deliberately stirring someone up, which is what the modern word carries. A taunt tests a rival's temper rather than their virtue, so the older meaning of trying someone's resolve survives in the modern insult.

Synonyms: mock, jeer, ridicule, tease, deride

Antonyms: praise, compliment, console, support, encourage