Meaning of Innuendo | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A derogatory hint or reference to, or (often sexual) insinuation about, a person or thing.
2. A remark that is suggestive of something sexual without stating it explicitly.
3. A rhetorical device with an omitted, but obvious conclusion, made to increase the force of an argument.
4. Part of a pleading in cases of libel and slander, pointing out what and who was meant by the libellous matter or description.

Equivalents

Examples

“She made a devious innuendo about her opponent, who was embarrassed.”

“At dinner, a dish of stewed eels made Mr. Higgs a little pensive, and he remarked, "that the fair sex slipped through your fingers just like⟳ eels." This innuendo was, however, all that disturbed the enjoyment of the day, whose hilarity, as the newspapers say⟳ of a public dinner, was prolonged to a late hour.”

“From the start⟳ then, the prosecutor David Tudor-Price relied on innuendo to carry⟳ his case. […] his whole presentation was based on shoring-up the stereotypes.”

““The attacks and allegations from Candace [Owens] are either lies or they are innuendos thrown around with a total reckless disregard for the truth,” Mr. [Blake] Neff said.”

“We were both quite good friends and apart from the playful innuendos about having an affair together we never really did anything.”

“Later in this phone call⟳, Frank assk Libby on a date⟳, and she accepts the invitation. [...] A similar road toward flirtatious innuendo seems to be at work⟳ in the following example. / FIELD NOTE⟳ / Fred: Who's that beautiful girl in that great sports car?! / Shirley: ((lightheartedly)) Shut⟳ up and get⟳ in the car! / Fred: You mean⟳ I get⟳ to ride⟳ with the beautiful girl? / […] Of course, flirtatious may be touched off by more marked sexual innuendo. / FIELD NOTE⟳ / ((co-workers are working late, finishing a project)) / Velma: You know⟳ how it is when you're close⟳ but can't stop⟳. / Sid: ((starts to give⟳ Velma a shoulder rub)) / Velma makes a comment⟳ with a possible sexual meaning, and Sid responds by initiating body contact⟳ (in a public place⟳) to show⟳ that he hears (and follows up on) the sexual double⟳ entendre.”

“Donoghue represents the closet in Stir-Fry as a performance space of playful innuendo and verbal wit, while Hensher describes it in Kitchen Venom as an existential site to which the subject retreats in a paranoid attempt⟳ to avoid⟳ cultural and social definition.”

“This is kalaburi, a joking banter that includes stories, jokes, wordplays (puns and double⟳ entendres, which are often sexual), and playful innuendo.”

CEFR level