Adjacent Words

Contemn definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONTEMN, v.t. [L., to despise; to drive away.]
1. To despise; to consider and treat as mean and despicable; to scorn.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Psalms 15.
2. To slight; to neglect as unworthy of regard; to reject with disdain.
Wherefore do the wicked contemn God. Psalms 10.
They contemn the counsel of the Most High. Psalms 107.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: look down on with disdain; "He despises the people he has to work for"; "The professor scorns the students who don't catch on immediately" [syn: contemn, despise, scorn, disdain]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English contempnen, from Middle French contempner, from Latin contemnere, from com- + temnere to despise Date: 15th century to view or treat with contempt ; scorn Synonyms: see despise • contemner also contemnor noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. literary despise; treat with disregard. Derivatives: contemner n. Etymology: ME f. OF contemner or L contemnere (as com-, temnere tempt- despise)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Contemn Con*temn" (k[o^]n*t[e^]m"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contemned (-t[e^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. Contemning (-t[e^]m"n[i^]ng or -t[e^]m"[i^]ng).] [L. contemnere, -temptum; con- + temnere to slight, despise: cf. OF. contemner.] To view or treat with contempt, as mean and despicable; to reject with disdain; to despise; to scorn. Thy pompous delicacies I contemn. --Milton. One who contemned divine and human laws. --Dryden. Syn: To despise; scorn; disdain; spurn; slight; neglect; underrate; overlook. Usage: To Contemn, Despise, Scorn, Disdain. Contemn is the generic term, and is applied especially to objects, qualities, etc., which are deemed contemptible, and but rarely to individuals; to despise is to regard or treat as mean, unbecoming, or worthless; to scorn is stronger, expressing a quick, indignant contempt; disdain is still stronger, denoting either unwarrantable pride and haughtiness or an abhorrence of what is base.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Despise, disdain, scorn, scout, spurn, slight, hold in contempt, look down upon, turn a cold shoulder upon, turn up one's nose at, snap one's fingers at, laugh to scorn, point the finger of scorn at.

Moby Thesaurus

abhor, abjure, be above, be contemptuous of, brush aside, care nothing for, chuck, chuck out, contradict, decline, deny, deride, despise, disapprove, discard, disclaim, discount, disdain, dismiss, disown, disparage, disprize, disregard, dump on, except, exclude, feel contempt for, feel superior to, forswear, hold beneath one, hold cheap, hold in contempt, ignore, insult, look down upon, misprize, pass by, pass up, push aside, put down, rank low, rebuff, recant, refuse, refuse to consider, reject, renounce, repel, repudiate, repulse, ridicule, scorn, scout, set at naught, shove away, sneer at, sneeze at, sniff at, snort at, spurn, think nothing of, throw away, throw out, turn away, turn out, waive