1. Stealing on or into the confidence or affections; having power to
gain favor. "Crafty, insinuative, plausible men." Bp. Reynolds.
2. Using insinuations; giving hints; insinuating; as, insinuative
remark.
In*sin"u*a`tor (?), n. [L., an introducer.] One who, or that which,
insinuates. De Foe.
In*sin"u*a*to*ry (?), a. Insinuative.
In*sip"id (?), a. [L. insipidus; pref. in- not + sapidus savory, fr.
sapere to taste: cf. F. insipide. See Savor.]
1. Wanting in the qualities which affect the organs of taste; without
taste or savor; vapid; tasteless; as, insipid drink or food. Boyle.
2. Wanting in spirit, life, or animation; uninteresting; weak; vapid;
flat; dull; heavy; as, an insipid woman; an insipid composition.
Flat, insipid, and ridiculous stuff to him.
South.
But his wit is faint, and his salt, if I may dare to say so, almost
insipid.
Dryden.
Syn. -- Tasteless; vapid; dull; spiritless; unanimated; lifeless; flat;
stale; pointless; uninteresting.
{ In`si*pid"i*ty (?), In*sip"id*ness (?), } n. [Cf. F. insipidité.] The
quality or state of being insipid; vapidity. "Dryden's lines shine
strongly through the insipidity of Tate's." Pope.
In*sip"id*ly, adv. In an insipid manner; without taste, life, or
spirit; flatly. Locke. Sharp.
In*sip"i*ence (?), n. [L. insipientia: cf. OF. insipience.] Want of
intelligence; stupidity; folly. [R.] Blount.
In*sip"i*ent (?), a. [L. insipiens; pref. in- not + sapiens wise.]
Wanting wisdom; stupid; foolish. [R.] Clarendon. -- n. An insipient
person. [R.] Fryth.
In*sist" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Insisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Insisting.]
[F. insister, L. insistere to set foot upon, follow, persist; pref. in-
in + sistere to stand, cause to stand. See Stand.]
1. To stand or rest; to find support; -- with in, on, or upon. [R.]
Ray.
2. To take a stand and refuse to give way; to hold to something firmly
or determinedly; to be persistent, urgent, or pressing; to persist in
demanding; -- followed by on, upon, or that; as, he insisted on these
conditions; he insisted on going at once; he insists that he must have
money.
Insisting on the old prerogative.
Shak.
Without further insisting on the different tempers of Juvenal and
Horace.
Dryden.
Syn. -- Insist, Persist. -- Insist implies some alleged right, as
authority or claim. Persist may be from obstinacy alone, and either
with or against rights. We insist as against others; we persist in what
exclusively relates to ourselves; as, he persisted in that course; he
insisted on his friend's adopting it. C. J. Smith.
In*sist"ence (?), n. The quality of insisting, or being urgent or
pressing; the act of dwelling upon as of special importance;
persistence; urgency.