insinuate

Word family

in·sin·u·ate /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ verb [transitiveT]

1 TELLto say something which seems to mean something unpleasant without saying it openly, especially suggesting that someone is being dishonest 暗示，暗指〔令人不快的内容，尤指某人不诚实〕 SYN imply

insinuate that

Are you insinuating that the money was stolen?

你是在暗示钱被偷了吗？

What are you trying to insinuate?

你想暗示什么？

2 formalPERSUADE to gradually gain someone’s love, trust etc by pretending to be friendly and sincere 〔假装友善和诚实〕使逐渐取得〔某人的喜爱、信任等〕

He managed to insinuate his way into her affections.

他终于设法赢得了她的芳心。

insinuate yourself into something

He insinuated himself into Mehmet’s confidence.

他设法取得了穆罕默德的信任。

3 formal to move yourself or a part of your body into a place 使进入；伸入

a large cat insinuated itself through the gap

一只从缺口处钻进来的大猫

Examples from the Corpus

insinuate that• He insinuated that Harkham was lying about the accounts.• They were trying to insinuate that I belonged with the psychiatric patients.• Another insinuated that on one had ever seen that many patients with Munchausen's syndrome let alone tested them.• They also insinuate that relatives of the prisoners are on their lists.• How dared he insinuate that she lied?• And now he was insinuating that she would be extending her stay long enough for a tour of the whole country!• The player should role-play this, insinuating that the other character is cowardly, worthless, treacherous, etc.• Critics of Banville insinuate that though he plays it expertly, he has only got one tune.• To try and insinuate that we had done something wrong.

insinuate yourself into something• It insinuated itself into every corner of her mind-program.• The unwanted extras who insinuate themselves into television news reports are feeble-minded males derided by right-thinking men.• A few insinuate themselves into the colonies of others and persuade their hosts into a free meal.• Bot Lilith and, as we shall see, Wotan, insinuate themselves into the cults that succeed them.• He succeeded simply in insinuating himself into the lineup of Washington regulars: a huckster in continual search of a hustle.• Carolyn tried to insinuate herself into the rich Solomon family.• He believed even more deeply that no church should insinuate itself into the sacred bond between a husband and a wife.• Casual style has insinuated itself into the toniest addresses.

Origin insinuate

(1500-1600) Latin past participle of insinuare, from sinuare “to bend, curve”

in·sin·u·ate verb

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus