insidious 
i wished never to see the face again of that insidinus, 
good-for-nothing, old grey impostor. Latnb, Roast Pig. 
2. Designed or adapted to entrap ; deceptive; 
insnaring : as, insidious arts. 
Till, unemploy'd, she felt her spirits droop, 
And took, insidious aid ! th' inspiring cup. 
Crabbe, Works, 1. 126. 
What cannot be denied is extenuated, or passed by with- 
out notice ; concessions even are sometimes made : but 
this insidioin candour only increases the effect of the vast 
mass of sophistry. Macaulay, History. 
Insidious disease, disease progressing to a serious con- 
dition without exciting the notice or alarm of the patient 
or his friends. =Syn. Crafty, wily, cunning, artful, guile- 
ful, snaky, foxy. 
insidiously (in-sid'i-us-li), ailr. In an insidi- 
ous manner ; deceitfully ; treacherously. 
Johnson, Addison. 
insidiousness (in-sid'i-us-nes), n. The quality 
of being insidious ; deceitfulness ; treachery, 
insight (in'sit), n. [< ME. insiht, insigt, insight 
(= D. inzigt = G. einsicht = Dan. indsigt = Sw. 
insigt); < i + sight.] If. Perception; ob- 
servation. 
So that to fore ne behynde 
He seeth no thyng, but as the blynde, 
Withoute insight of his courage, 
He doth meruailes in his rage. 
Gower, Conf. Amant., vi. 
2. Mental vision ; intellectual discernment or 
penetration. 
Man, y sente thee kindeli instate 
Of vndir-stondyng, skil, <S witt, 
To rewle thi silf bi resoun rijt. 
Political .foems, etc. (ed. 1'urnivall), p. 185. 
Franklin had an immense reason, which gave him a 
great insight and power in all practical, philosophic, and 
speculative matters. 
Theodore Parker, Historic Americans, p. 38. 
Could ever a man of prodigious mathematical genius 
convey to others any insight into his methods ? 
Emerson, Spiritual Laws. 
3. The immediate cognition of an object ; in- 
tuition. [Rare.]=Syn. 2. See list under acumen. 
insightedt (in'si-ted), a. [< insight + -erf 2 .] 
Possessed of insight. 
Justus Lipsius, deepely insighted in understanding old 
authors. Holland, tr. of Camden, p. 687. 
insign (in'sm), r. t. In Tier., same as ensign, 2. 
insignia (in-sig'ni-a), n. pi. [= F. instgne = 
Sp. Pg. insignia; < L. insignia, insignia, pi. of 
insigne, a badge of honor or of office, neut. of 
insignis, distinguished by a mark, remarkable, 
distinguished, < in, in, on, + signitm, mark, 
sign: see sign. Cf. ensign.] 1. Badges or dis- 
tinguishing marks of office or honor: as, the 
insignia of an order of knighthood. The insignia 
of an honorary order are the crosses, medallions, stars, 
ribbons, etc., which are worn by its members on occasions 
of ceremony. Military men wear these when in uniform, 
and civilians when in evening dress. The size of each 
badge is fixed by statute of the order ; but there has been 
introduced a custom of wearing miniature crosses, me- 
dallions, etc., a number of which can be worn at once sus- 
pended from a gold chain round the neck and hanging 
on the shirt-bosom, or attached to the lapel of the coat. 
When the cross, medallion, etc., is not worn, it is custom- 
ary to wear a small rosette or knot of ribbon in the but- 
tonhole, the color being that of the ribbon of the order. 
The knot or rosette is worn by members of the lowest 
class, the ribbon by all others. See cordon, cross, star, 
collar, rosette, ribbon, and cut under garter. 
2. Marks, signs, or visible tokens by which any- 
thing is known or distinguished. 
Rags, which are the reproach of poverty, are the Beggar's 
robes, and graceful insignia of his profession. 
Lamb, Decay of Beggars. 
insignificance (in-sig-nif'i-kaus), n. [= F. in- 
signifiance = Sp. Pg. insignificancia; as insig- 
nifican(t) + -ce.] The quality or condition of 
being insignificant; lack of significance or 
import; unimportance; triviality; meanness; 
want of force, influence, or consideration. 
Higher motives and deeper thoughts, such as engross 
the passions and the souls of men, and sink into compara- 
tive insignificance the comforts of social life. 
Story, Misc. Writings, p. 410. 
insignificancy (in-sig-nif'i-kan-si), w. Same as 
insignificance. 
There is hardly a rich man in the world who has not such 
a led friend of small consideration, who is a darling for 
his insignificancy. Steele, Tatler, No. 208. 
insignificant (in-sig-nif'i-kant), a. [= F. in- 
signifiaut = Sp. Pg. It. insignificantc; as in-3 
+ significant.] 1. Not significant; void of sig- 
nification ; without meaning. 
Till you can weight and gravity explain. 
Those words are insignificant and vain. 
Sir It. Blaclcmore. 
2. Answering no purpose ; having no weight or 
effect; unimportant; trivial. 
3118 
Laws must be insignificant without the sanction of re- 
wards and punishments, whereby men may be induced to 
the observance of them. 
Bp. Wilkins, Natural Religion, i. 11. 
He considers no anecdote, no peculiarity of manner, no 
familiar saying, as too insignifuant to illustrate the op- 
eration of laws, of religion, and of education, and to mark 
the progress of the human mind. Macaulay, History. 
3. Without weight of character; mean; con- 
temptible: as, an insignificant fellow. =Syn. 2. 
Immaterial, inconsiderable, trifling, paltry, petty, 
insignificantly (in-sig-nif 'i-kant-li), adv. In an 
insignificant manner ; without meaning ; with- 
out importance or effect. 
The vulgar may thus heap and huddle terms of respect, 
and nothing better be expected from them ; but for people 
of rank to repeat appellatives insignificantly is a folly not 
to be endured. Steele, Tatler, No. 204. 
insignificative (in-sig-nif'i-ka-tiv), a. [< LL. 
insiynificativus, not significative (only as ;a noun 
(sc. modus), applied to the infinitive), < in- priv. 
+ significativus, significative : see significative.'} 
Not significative ; signifying nothing; not ex- 
pressive by means of external signs. [Rare.] 
The ordinary sort of the unmeaning eyes are not indeed 
utterly insignificative : for they shew their owners to be 
persons without any habitual vices or virtues. 
Philosophical Letters upon Physiognomy (1751), p. 230. 
insimulatet (in-sim'u-lat), v. t. [< L. insimu- 
latus, pp. of insimulare, accuse, charge, < in, 
against, + simulare, represent, pretend: see 
simulate.] To accuse; charge. 
That he [Christ] might give spiritual comfort to all sorts 
of women, first to those who should be unjustly suspected 
and insimulated of sin and incontinency, when indeed they 
were innocent, he was content to come of a mother who 
should be subject to that suspicion. Donne, Sermons, iii. 
insincere (in-sin-ser'), a. [< L. insincerus, not 
genuine, not candid, < in- priv. + sincerus, genu- 
ine,candid,sincere: seesincere.] If. Not genu- 
ine; unsound; imperfect. 
But, ah ! how insincere are all our joys ! 
Which, sent from heaven, like lightning make no stay. 
Dryden, Annus Mirabilis. 
Oh, why, Penelope, this causeless fear, 
To render sleep's soft blessing insincere > 
Pope, Odyssey, iv. 1060. 
2. Not sincere in character ; making a false or 
hypocritical show of opinions or feelings. 
We might call him [Horatio] insincere : not that he was 
in any sense hypocrite, but only that he never was and 
never could be in earnest. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 217. 
3. Not sincere in quality; simulated; decep- 
tive; false. 
Tell her again, the sneer upon her face. 
And all her censures of the work of grace, 
Are insincere, meant only to conceal 
A dread she would not, yet is forc'd to feel. 
Cowper, Conversation, 1. 785. 
=Syn. 2. Disingenuous, uncandid, double-faced, hollow. 
insincerely (in-sin-ser'li), ado. In an insincere 
manner ; without sincerity ; with duplicity. 
insincerity (in-sin-ser'i-ti), n. ; pi. insincerities 
(-tiz). [= F. insinceri'ie = Pg. insineeridade, < 
L. as if *insincerita(t-)s, < insincerus, insincere : 
see insincere.] The quality of being insin- 
cere ; want of sincerity or ingenuousness : dis- 
simulation ; hypocrisy ; deceitfulness ; dupli- 
city, v 
What men call policy and knowledge of the world is 
commonly no other thing than dissimulation and insin- 
cerity, a. Blair, Works, V. xvii. 
He raised his voice unceasingly in condemnation of the 
fashionable insincerities of his day. 
.1 . Dobson, Int. to Steele, p. xi. 
insinewt (in-sin'u), v. t. [< in- 1 4- sinew.] To 
strengthen ; give vigor to. 
All members of our cause, both here and hence, 
That are insinew'd to this action, 
Shale., 2 Hen. IV., iv. 1, 172. 
insinking (in'sing'king), . [< in 1 + sinking.] 
A sinking in ; a depression. 
An insinking of the surface of the body. 
Gegenbaur, Comp. Anat. (trans.), p. 400. 
That the primary stigma formed by the insinking of the 
respiratory book is not the functional one of the adult. 
J. S. Kingsley, Micros. Science, N. S., XXV. 538. 
insinuantt (in-sin'u-ant), a. [=F. insiuant = 
Sp. Pg. It. insinuatite, < L. isinuan(t-)s, ppr. 
of insinuare, insinuate: see insinuate.] Insinu- 
ating. 
Commonly less inventive than judicious, howsoever prov- 
ing very plausible, insinuant, and fortunate men. 
Sir H. Wotton, Reliquiffl, p. 78. 
insinuate (in-sin'u-at), v. ; pret. and pp. insin- 
uated, ppr. insinuating. [< L. insinuatus, pp. 
of insinuare (> It. insinuare = Sp. Pg. insinuar 
= Pr. insinuar, ensinuar = F. insinuer), bring 
in by windings or turnings, wind or creep in, 
steal in, < in, in, 4- sinus, a winding, bend, bay, 
insinuator 
fold, bosom: see sinus, ,slne.] I. trans. 1. To 
bring in tortuously or indirectly ; introduce by 
devious means or by imperceptible degrees; 
worm in. 
There is no particular evil which hath not some appear- 
ance of goodness whereby to insinuate itself. 
Hooker, Eccles. Polity, i. 7. 
He insinuated himself into the very good grace of the 
Duke of Buckingham. Clarendon, Great Rebellion. 
2. To hint obliquely ; suggest indirectly, or by 
remote allusion. 
Wilt thou insinuate what I am, and'praise me, 
And say I am a noble fellow ? 
B. JxiLxnu. Alchemist, ii. 1. 
Elohim ; which word, as is sayd, is of the plural num- 
ber, insinuating the Holy Trinity. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 6. 
You would seem to insinuate, Madam, that I have par- 
ticular reasons. Goldsmith, Good-natured Man, i. 
=Syn, 2. Intimate, Suggest, etc. See hintl, r. t. 
II. intrans. 1. To move tortuously; wind. 
[Rare.] 
Close the serpent sly, 
Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine 
His braided train. Milton, P. L, ir. 348. 
2. To creep or flow softly in; enter impercep- 
tibly or stealthily. [Rare.] 
Pestilential miasmas insinuate into the humours and 
consistent parts of the body. Harvey. 
3f. To gain on the affections or confidence by 
cautious or artful means ; ingratiate one's self. 
He would insinuate with thee, but to make thee sigh. 
Shak., Rich. III., i. 4, 152. 
I, ... to insinuate with my young master, . . . have 
got me afore in this disguise. 
B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, ii. 2. 
4. To make hints or indirect suggestions. 
insinuating (in-sin'u-a-ting), p. a. Tending to 
enter treacherously; insensibly winning favor 
or confidence. 
His sly, polite, insinuating style 
Could please at Court, and make Augustus smile. 
Pope, Epil. to Satires, i. 19. 
He warns us against it [hypocrisy] as leaven, as a subtle 
insinuating evil which will silently spread itself through- 
out the whole character. 
J. H. Newman, Parochial Sermons, i. 134. 
insinuatingly (in-sin'u-a-ting-li), adv. In an 
insinuating manner; by insinuation. 
insinuation (in-sin-u-a'shqn), n. [= F. insinu- 
ation = Pr. insinuation = Sp. insinuation = Pg. 
insinuofSo = It. insinuaeione, < L. insinuatio(n-), 
< insinuare, insinuate: see insinuate.] 1. The 
act of insinuating ; a creeping or winding in ; a 
tortuous or stealthy passage, as into crevices, 
or (figuratively) into favor or affection. 
Their defeat 
Does by their own insinuation grow. 
Shak., Hamlet, v. 2,69. 
2. The art or power of pleasing and stealing 
into the affections. 
He had a natural insinuation and address which made 
him acceptable in the best company. 
Clarendon, Great Rebellion. 
3. That which is insinuated ; a suggestion or 
intimation by indirect allusion ; an oblique hint ; 
an innuendo. 
For he gaue them an insinuacion & signification therof, 
in that he said, And y< bred that I shall geue you is my 
fleshe. Sir T. More, Works, p. 1112. 
As Fear moves mean Spirits, and love prompts Great 
ones to obey, the Insinuations of Malecontents are di- 
rected accordingly. Steele, Conscious Lovers, Ded. 
4. In civil law, the lodging of an alleged will 
with the officer charged with the duty of regis- 
tering wills, as a step toward procuring its 
probate, and establishing it as a part of the 
records. 5. In rhet., a kind of exordium, in 
which the favor of the judge or hearers is sought 
to be gained indirectly or by special considera- 
tions, in spite of a discreditable client, an un- 
favorable case, prejudice or weariness on the 
part of the judge, etc. : distinguished from the 
exordium or proem in the narrower sense, in 
which a favorable hearing is claimed or solicit- 
ed directly and openly. 
His insinuation being of blushing, and his division of 
sighs, his whole oration stood upon a short narration. 
Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, i. 
= Svn. 3. Intimation, Suggestion, etc. See Ainti, v. t. 
insinuative (in-sin'u-a-tiv), a. [= Sp. Pg. f'n- 
sinuativo; as insinuate + -ive.] I. Making in- 
sinuations; hinting; insinuating. 
Is a man conscionable? he is an hypocrite; ... is he 
wisely insinuative ? he is a flatterer. 
Bp. Hall, Great Impostor. 
2. Stealing into the affections ; ingratiating. 
Any popular or insinuative carriage of himself. 
Bacon, Obs. on a Libel. 
insinuatOT (in-siu'u-a-tor), . [= Pg. insinua- 
<t<; < LL. insinuator, an introducer, < L. insinu- 
