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Effrontery

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(pronounced ih-frunt-tuh-ree)  noun

Definition

shameless or flagrant boldness; insolent audacity; impudence; impertinence.

Main Example

• Syrian-Americans who reside in the U.S. and have marched in front of the Syrian embassy in Washington to denounce the brutal suppression of protestors in their home country had better watch out. Reportedly, the authorities in Damascus have been harassing and filing fictitious charges against the relatives of Syrian expatriates who have had the "effrontery" to criticize the Assad regime publicly.

Workplace Examples

• Except for a few of our CEO's longtime buddies who call him James, everyone in the company addresses him as Mr. Smith. So, you could see the surprise on Mr. Smith's face when this new hire, who I'm told is very cocky, had the effrontery to greet him with "Hi Jim!" at yesterday's event.
• Speaking of Shawna, our former employee who has only one year's worth of work experience, did you know that she now has the effrontery to hang out a shingle calling herself a "business consultant"?

Other Examples

• while speaking about one of his subordinates, a vice president telling somebody indignantly and in confidence: "I can't believe Al's effrontery in recommending the lowest salary increases to some of the very people I respect the most."
• an example of political correctness run amok in certain segments of American society: some regarding the mention of Santa Claus and Christmas as "cultural effrontery"
• in some highly conservative Muslim societies, a woman going out in public without wearing a burka being regarded as an act of effrontery
• during a September '09 address by President Obama to a joint session of Congress, South Carolinian Representative Joe Wilson having the effrontery to shout out "You lie" in response to one of Obama's statements on illegal immigrants

© 2012 V.J. Singal
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