Word Study
innuendo
CIDE DICTIONARY
innuendo, n. [L., by intimation, by hinting, gerund of innuere, innutum, to give a nod, to intimate; pref. in- in, to + -nuere (in comp.) to nod. See Nutation.].
- An oblique hint; a remote allusion or reference, usually derogatory to a person or thing not named; an insinuation. [1913 Webster]"Mercury . . . owns it a marriage by an innuendo." [1913 Webster]"Pursue your trade of scandal picking;
Your innuendoes, when you tell us,
That Stella loves to talk with fellows." [1913 Webster] - An averment employed in pleading, to point the application of matter otherwise unintelligible; an interpretative parenthesis thrown into quoted matter to explain an obscure word or words; -- as, the plaintiff avers that the defendant said that he (innuendo the plaintiff) was a thief. Wharton. [1913 Webster]" The term is so applied from having been the introductory word of this averment or parenthetic explanation when pleadings were in Latin. The word “meaning” is used as its equivalent in modern forms."
Syn. -- Insinuation; suggestion; hint; intimation; reference; allusion; implication; representation; -- Innuendo, Insinuation.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
innuendo, n. & v.
--n. (pl. -oes or -os)
1 an allusive or oblique remark or hint, usu. disparaging.
2 a remark with a double meaning, usu. suggestive.
--v.intr. (-oes, -oed) make innuendoes.
--n. (pl. -oes or -os)
1 an allusive or oblique remark or hint, usu. disparaging.
2 a remark with a double meaning, usu. suggestive.
--v.intr. (-oes, -oed) make innuendoes.
Etymology
L, = by nodding at, by pointing to: ablat. gerund of innuere nod at (as IN-(2), nuere nod)
THESAURUS
innuendo
accusal, accusation, accusing, allegation, allegement, allegory, allusion, animadversion, arcane meaning, arraignment, aspersion, assumption, bill of particulars, blame, bringing of charges, bringing to book, broad hint, causticity, charge, clue, coloration, complaint, connotation, count, cue, cynicism, delation, denouncement, denunciation, gentle hint, gesture, glimmer, glimmering, hint, impeachment, implication, implied meaning, import, imputation, index, indication, indictment, indirect, inference, information, inkling, insinuation, intimation, invective, ironic suggestion, irony, kick, lawsuit, laying of charges, look, meaning, metaphorical sense, nod, nuance, nudge, occult meaning, overtone, personal remark, personality, plaint, presumption, presupposition, prompt, prosecution, reference, reflection, reproach, sarcasm, satire, satiric wit, scent, sign, signal, slur, sly suggestion, spoor, subsense, subsidiary sense, suggestion, suit, supposition, suspicion, symbolism, symptom, taxing, telltale, tinge, touch, track, true bill, uncomplimentary remark, undercurrent, undermeaning, undertone, unspoken accusation, veiled accusation, whisper, whispering campaign, winkROGET THESAURUS
innuendo
Disapprobation
N disapprobation, disapproval, improbation, disesteem, disvaluation, displacency, odium, dislike, dispraise, discommendation, blame, censure, obloquy, detraction, disparagement, depreciation, denunciation, condemnation, ostracism, black list, animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism, sardonic grin, sardonic laugh, sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo, bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment, satire, sneer, taunt, cavil, carping, censoriousness, hypercriticism, reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation, reproach, rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming, correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec, rebuff, slap, slap on the face, home thrust, hit, frown, scowl, black look, diatribe, jeremiad, jeremiade, tirade, philippic, clamor, outcry, hue and cry, hiss, hissing, sibilance, sibilation, catcall, execration, chiding, upbraiding, exprobation, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely, hard words, cutting words, bitter words, evil-speaking, bad language, personality, disapproving, scandalized, disparaging, condemnatory, damnatory, denunciatory, reproachful, abusive, objurgatory, clamorous, vituperative, defamatory, satirical, sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, dry, sharp, cutting, biting, severe, withering, trenchant, hard upon, censorious, critical, captious, carping, hypercritical, fastidious, sparing of praise, grudging praise, disapproved, chid, in bad odor, blown upon, unapproved, unblest, at a discount, exploded, weighed in the balance and found wanting, blameworthy, reprehensible, to blame, worthy of blame, answerable, uncommendable, exceptionable, not to be thought of, bad, vicious, unlamented, unbewailed, unpitied, with a wry face, reproachfully, Int, it is too bad!, it won't do, it will never do!, marry come up!, Oh!, come!, 'sdeath!, forbid it Heaven!, God forbid, Heaven forbid!, out upon, fie upon it!, away with!, tut!, O tempora!, O mores!, shame!, fie, fie for shame!, out on you!, tell it not in Gath!.Implication
N latency, implication, latency, inexpression, hidden meaning, occult meaning, occultness, mystery, cabala, anagoge, silence, concealment, more than meets the eye, more than meets the ear, Delphic oracle, le dessous des cartes, undercurrent, implication, logical implication, logical consequence, entailment, allusion, insinuation, innuendo, adumbration, something rotten in the state of Denmark, snake in the grass, secret, darkness, invisibility, imperceptibility, latent, lurking, secret, occult, implied, dormant, abeyant, unapparent, unknown, unseen, in the background, invisible, indiscoverable, dark, impenetrable, unspied, unsuspected, unsaid, unwritten, unpublished, unbreathed, untalked of, untold &c, unsung, unexposed, unproclaimed, undisclosed, unexpressed, not expressed, tacit, undeveloped, solved, unexplained, untraced, undiscovered, untracked, unexplored, uninvented, indirect, crooked, inferential, by inference, by implication, implicit, constructive, allusive, covert, muffled, steganographic, understood, underhand, underground, delitescent, concealed, by a side wind, sub silentio, in the background, behind the scenes, behind one's back, on the tip of one's tongue, secretly, between the lines, thereby hangs a tale, tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus, where there's smoke, there's fire.Information
N information, enlightenment, acquaintance, knowledge, publicity, data, communication, intimation, notice, notification, enunciation, annunciation, announcement, communiqu_e, representation, round robin, presentment, case, estimate, specification, report, advice, monition, news, return, account, statement, mention, acquainting, instruction, outpouring, intercommunication, communicativeness, informant, authority, teller, intelligencer, reporter, exponent, mouthpiece, informer, eavesdropper, delator, detective, sleuth, mouchard, spy, newsmonger, messenger, amicus curiae, valet de place, cicerone, pilot, guide, guidebook, handbook, vade mecum, manual, map, plan, chart, gazetteer, itinerary, hint, suggestion, innuendo, inkling, whisper, passing word, word in the ear, subaudition, cue, byplay, gesture, gentle hint, broad hint, verbum sapienti, a word to the wise, insinuation, information theory, bit, byte, word, doubleword, quad word, paragraph, segment, magnetic media, paper medium, optical media, random access memory, RAM, read-only memory, ROM, write once read mostly memory, WORM, informed, communique, reported, published, expressive, explicit plain spoken, (artless), nuncupative, nuncupatory, declaratory, expository, enunciative, communicative, communicatory, from information received, a little bird told me, I heard it through the grapevine.For further exploring for "innuendo" in Webster Dictionary Online