different between refractory vs insolent

English

Etymology

From Latin refract?rius (“obstinate”), from refractus, past participle of refringere (“to break up”). Originally refractary, refractarie, but reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???f?æk.t??.i/
• Rhymes: -ækt??i

Adjective

refractory (comparative more refractory, superlative most refractory)

1. Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.

   Synonyms: (inanimates) contrary, fractious; see also Thesaurus:obstinate

   • 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 26,

     Mr. Weller knocked at the door, and after a pretty long interval—occupied by the party without, in whistling a tune, and by the party within, in persuading a refractory flat candle to allow itself to be lighted […]

   • 1913 Eleanor Porter: Pollyanna: Chapter 8:

     For five minutes Pollyanna worked swiftly, deftly, combing a refractory curl into fluffiness, perking up a drooping ruffle at the neck, or shaking a pillow into plumpness so that the head might have a better pose. Meanwhile the sick woman, frowning prodigiously, and openly scoffing at the whole procedure, was, in spite of herself, beginning to tingle with a feeling perilously near to excitement.

3. Not affected by great heat.

   Synonyms: heat-resistant, fireproof
4. (medicine) Difficult to treat.
   • 1949, Albert Fields and John Hoesley, "Neck and Shoulder Pain", Calif. Med., 70(6):478–482.,

     Many of the vague and refractory cases of neck and shoulder pain and of migraine may be due to cervical disc disease.

   • 1990, H. A. Ring et al, "Vigabatrin: rational treatment for chronic epilepsy", J. Neurol. Neurosurg.Psychiatry, 53(12):1051–1055,

     In 33 adult patients with long standing refractory epilepsy on treatment with one or two standard anti-convulsant drugs,

5. (biology) Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
   • 1959, Nobusada Ishiko and Werner R. Loewenstein, "Electrical output of a receptor membrane", Science, 1959, 130:1405-6,

     The production of a generator potential leaves a refractory state in the receptor membrane […]

   • 1970, S.S. Barold et al, "Chest wall stimulation in evaluation of patients with implanted ventricular-inhibited demand pacemakers", Br. Heart J., 32(6):783–789,

     The […] delivery of external stimuli […] delineates the pacemaker refractory period after the emission of a pacing stimulus and after the sensing of a spontaneous beat.

Derived terms

Related terms

• refractive
• refraction

Translations

Noun

refractory (plural refractories)

1. A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.

Translations

Further reading

• refractory at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ?nsol?ns (“unaccustomed, unwanted, unusual, immoderate, excessive, arrogant, insolent”), from in- (privative prefix) + sol?ns, present participle of solere (“to be accustomed, to be wont”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??ns?.l?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??ns?.l?nt/

Adjective

insolent (comparative more insolent, superlative most insolent)

1. Insulting in manner or words.

   Synonyms: arrogant, bold, cocky, impudent

2. Rude.

   • “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, […] the chlorotic squatters on huge yachts, the speed-mad fugitives from the furies of ennui, the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosus, […]!”

   Synonyms: disrespectful, impertinent, insubordinate, offensive

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:cheeky
• See also Thesaurus:arrogant

Derived terms

• insolently

Related terms

Translations

Noun

insolent (plural insolents)

1. A person who is insolent.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Letter 78:

     What a way do you put yourself in miss! said the insolent.

   • 2010, Louisa Shea, The Cynic Enlightenment: Diogenes in the Salon (page 7)

     Diogenes Laertius reports that Diogenes was apt to take the identification with the dog at face value, as when he lifted his leg and relieved himself on a group of young insolents who teased him with a dog's bone […]

Further reading

• insolent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• insolent in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• insolent at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Neilston

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin insolens, attested from 1653.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /in.so?lent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /in.su?len/

Adjective

insolent (masculine and feminine plural insolents)

1. insolent

Derived terms

• insolentment

Related terms

• insolència

References

Further reading

• “insolent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “insolent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “insolent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

From Latin insolens.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.s?.l??/
• Homophone: insolents

Adjective

insolent (feminine singular insolente, masculine plural insolents, feminine plural insolentes)

1. insolent

Derived terms

• insolemment

Related terms

• insolence

Further reading

• “insolent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin insolens.

Adjective

insolent m (feminine singular insolenta, masculine plural insolents, feminine plural insolentas)

1. insolent

Derived terms

• insolentament

Related terms

• insoléncia

Romanian

Etymology

From French insolent, from Latin insolens.

Adjective

insolent m or n (feminine singular insolent?, masculine plural insolen?i, feminine and neuter plural insolente)

1. insolent

Declension