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A smart, sarcastic turn or jest; a taunt; a severe retort; a gibe. Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles. Milton. He was full of joke and jest, But all his merry quips are o'er. Tennyson.

The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. This is called the retort courteous. Shak.

proachful expression; a satirical remark uttered with some degree of scorn or contempt; a taunt; a gibe; a cutting jest. The sarcasms of those critics who imagine our art to be a matter of inspiration. Sir J. Reynolds.

e nature of, sarcasm; given to the use of sarcasm; bitterly satirical; scornfully severe; taunting. What a fierce and sarcastic reprehension would this have drawn from the friendship of the world! South.

ing expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. Shak.

A flout; a jeer; a gibe; a taunt. [Obs.] Fortherby.

low, that lay by his bed's side, Gan for to laugh, and scorned him full fast. Chaucer. To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously. Shak.

vulgar jester; grossly opprobrious or loudly jocose in language; scurrilous; as, scurrile taunts. The wretched affectation of scurrile laughter. Cowley. A scurrile or obscene jest will better advance you at the court of Charles than father's ancient name. Sir W. Scott.

Sharp in reply; apt to speak angrily or testily; easily provoked; tart; peevish. The taunting address of a snappish missanthrope. Jeffrey. -- Snap"pish*ly, adv. -- Snap"pish*ness, n.

To goad; to incite, as by taunts or reproaches.

all the tempest in my teeth." Pope. -- To cast in the teeth, to report reproachfully; to taunt or insult one with. -- Tooth and nail, as if by biting and scratching; with one's utmost power; by all possible means. L'Estrange. "I shall fight tooth and nail for international copyright." Charles Reade. -- Tooth coralli…

ding of, a fault, defect, misfortune, or the like; to revile; to reproach; to upbraid; to taunt; as, he twitted his friend of falsehood. This these scoffers twitted the Christian with. Tillotson. Æsop minds men of their errors, without twitting them for what is amiss. L'Estrange.

A taunt; a reproach. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.