insinuativeadj.
/ɪnˈsɪnjuːˌeɪtɪv//ɪnˈsɪnjʊətɪv/ Characterized by insinuation, tending to insinuate.
1. Having the tendency or property of stealing into favour or confidence; subtly ingratiating.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > servile flattery or currying favour > [adjective]
fikingc1230
papelarda1500
gnathonical1540
clawing1574
pickthank1575
slavering1575
claw-back1577
courting1580
fawning1585
adulatory1587
insinuating1592
insinuative1592
scraping1599
adulatorious1612
men-pleasing1615
pickthanking1621
sycophantical1632
gnathonic1637
insinuanta1639
sycophantizing1640
ingratiating1642
led1672
sycophanting1674
sycophantly1680
sycophanta1684
sycophantica1698
pickthankly1702
assiduous1725
foot-licking1786
tuft-hunting1789
sycophantish1821
favour-currying1831
bootlicking1849
toadying1863
creepy-crawly1890
slauming1904
toadyish1909
ass-licking1940
ass-kissing1942
brown-nosing1946
arse-licking1950
sucky1991
1592 F. Bacon Observ. Libel in Resuscitatio (1661) 108 Any Popular, or Insinuative, Carriage of Himself.
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus ii. 14 Preuent the wiles and policies of this tyrant; for he is of a serpentine, creeping, and insinuatiue nature.
1623 Bp. J. Hall Great Impostor 34 Is a man..plaine dealing? he is rudely vnciuill: Is he wisely insinuatiue? he is a flatterer.
1627 W. Sclater Briefe Expos. 2 Thess. (1629) A iv b First, Proœme insinuatiue, Cap. i. ad Vers. 5. [Cf. insinuation n. 3b.]
1647 J. Trapp Comm. Evangelists & Acts (Matt. vii. 15) The locusts also..have faces like women insinuative and flattering.
1683 W. Cave Ecclesiastici 93 His Discourse [was] plausible and insinuative.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iii. 249 The insinuative force of sympathy and intercourse with other people.
2. Tending to insinuate or gently instil into the mind.
ΘΚΠ
society > education > teaching > instilling ideas > [adjective]
insinuative1786
1786 G. Chalmers Life De Foe (1841) 78 Such insinuative instruction as [has] seldom been equalled, but never surpassed.
3. Characterized by or involving insinuation or suggestion; given to or making insinuations; prone to allusive suggestion; suggestive, hinting.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > hint or covert suggestion > [adjective]
glancing1596
allusive1607
indicative1624
suggestive1631
insinuative1649
suspicious1663
hinting1820
subindicative1822
subtextual1950
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > keeping from knowledge > hidden or indirect meaning > [adjective] > communicating indirectly
whispering1581
whistering1586
insinuative1649
insinuatory1872
1649 E. Sparke in J. Shute Sarah & Hagar To Rdr. sig. a2 None whatsoever extant, [writings are] so copious and insinuative in the Applications.
1736 T. Lediard Life Marlborough II. 223 What a Heap of insinuative Scandal..is here thrown upon the greatest Man of his Age.
1859 C. Kingsley Misc. (1860) II. 35 Not to excite the minds of the public against him by those insinuative or vituperative epithets, which are but adders and scorpions.
Derivatives
inˈsinuatively adv. in an insinuative manner.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming in > [adverb] > surreptitiously or subtly
insinuatively1617
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > keeping from knowledge > hidden or indirect meaning > [adverb]
sidelings?a1400
covertlyc1400
impliedlyc1449
by implicationa1575
implicatelya1575
implicatively1579
over the shoulder1596
interpretatively1602
implicitly1610
indirectly1613
insinuatively1617
enfoldedly1624
involvedly1624
tacitly1635
tacidly1640
by interpretation1692
adumbratively1753
inexplicitly1776
interpretively1867
1617 S. Collins Epphata to F. T. ii. viii. 309 Not literally, not expressely, but yet insinuatiuely and intentionally.
a1706 J. Evelyn Hist. Relig. (1850) II. xi. 249 Craftily and insinuatively introduced by the subtlety of Satan.
inˈsinuativeness n. insinuative quality.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > servile flattery or currying favour > [noun] > quality or character of
fawningness1672
pickthankness1672
insinuativeness1727
1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Insinuatingness, Insinuativeness, insinuating Nature, Engagingness, Winningness.
1837 T. Hook Jack Brag I. ii. 42 Appeared to be wholly unconscious of his insinuativeness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
<
adj.1592