The Collaborative International Dictionary
Insinuate \In*sin"u*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Insinuated; p. pr. & vb. n. Insinuating.] [L. insinuatus, p. p. of insinuareto insinuate; pref. in- in + sinus the bosom. See Sinuous.]
-
To introduce gently or slowly, as by a winding or narrow passage, or a gentle, persistent movement.
The water easily insinuates itself into, and placidly distends, the vessels of vegetables.
--Woodward. -
To introduce artfully; to infuse gently; to instill.
All the art of rhetoric, besides order and clearness, are for nothing else but to insinuate wrong ideas, move the passions, and thereby mislead the judgment.
--Locke.Horace laughs to shame all follies and insinuates virtue, rather by familiar examples than by the severity of precepts.
--Dryden. To hint; to suggest by remote allusion; -- often used derogatorily; as, did you mean to insinuate anything?
-
To push or work (one's self), as into favor; to introduce by slow, gentle, or artful means; to ingratiate; -- used reflexively.
He insinuated himself into the very good grace of the Duke of Buckingham.
--Clarendon.Syn: To instill; hint; suggest; intimate.
Insinuating \In*sin"u*a`ting\, a.
Winding, creeping, or flowing in, quietly or stealthily;
suggesting; winning favor and confidence insensibly.
--Milton.
His address was courteous, and even insinuating.
--Prescott.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of insinuate English)
Usage examples of "insinuating".
He had alluded, in his letter to Emily, to the obligation he was under to the services of Denbigh, in erasing his unfortunate partiality for her: but what those services were, we are unable to say, unless they were the usual arguments of the plainest good sense, enforced in the singularly insinuating and kind manner which distinguished that gentleman.
Madam Clement was visited by Fathom, who, after having complained, in the most insinuating manner that she had encouraged his wife to abandon her duty, told her a plausible story of his first acquaintance with Monimia, and his marriage at the Fleet, which, he said, he was ready to prove by the evidence of the clergyman who joined them, and that of Mrs.
In the evening after supper the insinuating Perigordian redoubled his politeness and attentions.
Just as Nanoannie was closing her eyes and spacing out, the insinuating Thujone fragrance was overpowered by the salt-piss smell of cheap ramen.
Why could she see nothing but bevels of brown and cinnamon, insinuating almost anything but conclusively stating nothing?
Any struggle in the enemy camp was good to know about, but unfortunately, he couldn't afford to spend the time insinuating himself where he could observe the byplays of power.
Kelly and Nrrna joined the hug, insinuating themselves into the embrace and clasping their hands across to one another.
It is evident, however, that he hunted out and pursued, with a wonderful pleasantness of style and argument, and with a most pointed and insinuating urbanity, the foolishness of ignorant men, who thought that they knew this or that,-sometimes confessing his own ignorance, and sometimes dissimulating his knowledge, even in those very moral questions to which he seems to have directed the whole force of his mind.
At which Hannah throws another screaming fit and Mark locks himself in his room and plays 'Lazy Sheep' non-stop till Louisa beats on his door and says, 'Mark, they'll be here any minute,' which was true because the doorbell rang just at that moment and in marches Rafi Domingo with his body lotion and his insinuating leer and side-burns and crocodile shoes - not all of Harry's tailoring wiles could save him from looking like the worst kind of stage dago, her father would have ordered him round to the back door on the strength of his hair oil alone.
He stumped away into the darkness before they could question him, from which Rod inferred that his 'plan' was limited to buoying up Rod's and Tuan's spirits by insinuating that there was yet hope.
A car horn sounded close by, insinuating itself like a knife through the window's soundproofing, and she started.
He and Miss Cardle were convinced that she was an artful humbugger, bent on insinuating herself into my lady’s and Miss Hetta’s good graces by palavering them, and playing off all manner of cajoleries.
The insinuating rhythms were a part of it, too, he supposed, all that Bunk Johnson, Muggsy Spanier, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton that he pretended to understand but only felt.
Ryan had even heard ghastly tales of pokies insinuating themselves into the tear ducts at the corner of a sleeping man's eyes, working their way deeper and deeper.
He wanted to punch out at the tall master for even insinuating otherwise.