Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to raise a middle finger

to raise a middle finger

8.3
To show anger or insult someone by lifting the middle finger
  • idiom
  • /reɪz ə ˈmɪdəl ˈfɪŋɡər/
  • Offensive
translation icon : mostrar el dedo medio
  • Teenagers sometimes raise a middle finger as a rebellious gesture.

Examples

  • When the driver cut him off, he raised a middle finger out the window.

  • She couldn't help but raise a middle finger at the rude comment.

  • He raised a middle finger at the rude driver.

  • Don't raise a middle finger in public!

  • In frustration, she raised a middle finger at the driver who cut her off.

  • He raised a middle finger during the heated argument to show his contempt.

  • When he heard the unfair criticism, he simply raised a middle finger in response.

Synonyms

to thumb one's nose at
vsto raise a middle finger
  • Informal
8 9.2

To show open disrespect by refusing to follow rules or customs

is a specific obscene finger action used mainly to insult someone directly
to flip the bird
vsto raise a middle finger
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To show anger by holding up the middle finger at someone

has identical meaning and is the literal descriptive wording for that obscene gesture
to make a snook
vsto raise a middle finger
  • Offensive
9.9

To put your thumb on your nose and wiggle your fingers to show disrespect

is an obscene single-finger insult rather than a playful nose touch
to give a snook
vsto raise a middle finger
  • Archaic
9.9

To show you do not respect someone by putting your thumb to your nose and wiggling your fingers

is a direct obscene finger insult rather than a general show of contempt

Antonyms

to salute
  • Formal
106 3.5

To show respect by a formal gesture or words

to extend a hand
  • Informal
5 2.9

To offer help or friendship by reaching out your hand to someone

How Offensive

to threaten
987 3.3
to raise a middle finger
  • Offensive
8.3
insult
  • Offensive
313 1.3
to glare
49 3.2

Surface Forms

raise a middle finger infinitive
raised a middle finger past
raised a middle finger past participle
raising a middle finger present participle
raises a middle finger third person singular

Morphology

raise + a + middle + finger

The literal action 'lift the middle finger' is directly compositional from 'raise' + 'middle' + 'finger', so a learner who knows the words can understand the physical gesture. However, the conventional pragmatic meaning — that this is an obscene insulting gesture — depends on cultural/pragmatic knowledge and is not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Raise a middle finger comes from a very old rude sign: people held up the upright middle finger because it looked like a small penis and so was a clear way to insult someone. So today raise a middle finger means 'to insult' or 'to show strong anger'.