フランス語の tant pour tant から、目には目を、歯には歯を、お返し、tant, equal, likewise, tantamount と語源的には同じ、pour, for, for と語源的には同じ。
英語の語源
taunt
taunt: [16] The etymological notion underlying taunt is of giving someone tit for tat, of returning as much in reply as has been given. It comes from the French phrase tant pour tant ‘so much for so much’. This was borrowed into English in the early 16th century as taunt pour taunt or (partially anglicized) taunt for taunt, which was used for a ‘sarcastic rejoinder’. The first record of the use of taunt on its own (as a verb) dates from 1513.
taunt (v.)
mid-15c. (implied in tauntingly), possibly [Skeat] from Middle French tanter, tenter "to tempt, try, provoke," variant of tempter "to try" (see tempt). Or from Middle French tant pour tant "so much for so much, tit for tat," on notion of "sarcastic rejoinder" (considered by OED the "most likely suggestion"). Related: Taunted; taunting.
taunt (n.)
1520s, "bitter invective," probably from taunt (v.).
例文
1. He became a taunt to his neighbours.
彼は隣人たちの嘲笑の対象になった。
2.Why should she taunt him this way unless she had good grounds？
彼女が確かに証拠を持っていない限り、彼女はどうして彼にこんな悪口を言ったのだろうか。
3.His genial sufficiency was a taunt and a mockery to many.
彼のあんなに愛想のいい態度は、多くの人が悪口や嘲弄だと思っている。
4.He would laugh at any one who tried to taunt him.