innuendo

innuendo
\ \ [17] An innuendo was originally a hint given with a ‘nod’ or a wink. The word is a derivative of Latin innueresignal to by means of a nod’, a compound verb formed from in- ‘towards’ and nuerenod’. The ablative case of its gerund, innuendōby nodding’, was used in medieval legal documents as the equivalent of ‘that is to say, i.e’. In particular, it introduced the derogatory meaning claimed by the plaintiff in a libel case to be contained in or implied by a statement, and this formed the basis for its metaphorical transference to any ‘oblique derogatory implication’.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Innuendo — Студийный альбом Queen …   Википедия

  • Innuendo — Studioalbum von Queen Veröffentlichung 4. Februar 1991 Label Parlophone/EMI; Hollywood Rec …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • innuendo — in·nu·en·do /ˌi nyü wen dō/ n: a parenthetical explanation of the text of a legal document; esp: an explanation in a complaint for defamation of the defamatory meaning of a statement by the defendant which is not defamatory on its face compare… …   Law dictionary

  • Innuendo — (album) Innuendo Album par Queen Sortie 4 février 1991 (UK) 5 février 1991 (US) Enregistrement mars 1989 novembre 1990 Durée 53 min 48 s Genre(s) Rock …   Wikipédia en Français

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • innuendo — 1670s, oblique hint, indiscreet suggestion, usually a depreciatory one, from L. innuendo by meaning, pointing to, lit. giving a nod to, ablative of gerund of innuere to mean, signify, lit. to nod to, from in at + nuere to nod (see NUMINOUS (Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • innuendo — insinuation Analogous words: hinting or hint, intimation, suggestion (see corresponding verbs at SUGGEST): implication, inference: allusion (see corresponding verb at REFER) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • innuendo — meaning ‘an indirectly disparaging hint or remark’, has the plural form innuendoes. The word is derived from a Latin gerund (verbal noun) meaning ‘by nodding at’, i.e. ‘by pointing to, by meaning’. In English it was originally used in legal… …   Modern English usage

  • innuendo — [n] suggestion allusion, aside, aspersion, hint, implication, imputation, insinuation, intimation, overtone, reference, whisper; concepts 75,278 Ant. evidence, proof …   New thesaurus

  • innuendo — ► NOUN (pl. innuendoes or innuendos) ▪ an allusive or oblique remark, typically a suggestive or disparaging one. ORIGIN originally used in legal documents, meaning «that is to say»: from Latin, by nodding at, by pointing to , from in towards +… …   English terms dictionary

  • innuendo — [in΄yo͞o en′dō] n. pl. innuendoes or innuendos [L, by nodding to, abl. of ger. of innuere, to nod to, hint < in , in + nuere, to nod < IE base * neu , to jerk, beckon, nod > Sans návatē, (he) turns, L numen, a nod] 1. Law explanatory… …   English World dictionary

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