Adjacent Words

Disdain definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DISDAIN, v.t. [L., to think worthy; worthy. See Dignity.] To think unworthy; to deem worthless; to consider to be unworthy of notice, care, regard, esteem, or unworthy of ones character; to scorn; to contemn. The man of elevated mind disdains a mean action; he disdains the society of profligate, worthless men; he disdains to corrupt the innocent, or insult the weak. Goliath disdained David.
Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock. Job 30.
DISDAIN, n. Contempt; scorn; a passion excited in noble minds, by the hatred or detestation of what is mean and dishonorable, and implying a consciousness of superiority of mind, or a supposed superiority of mind, or a supposed superiority. In ignoble minds, disdain may spring from unwarrantable pride or haughtiness, and be directed toward objects of worth. It implies hatred, and sometimes anger.
How my soul is moved with just disdain.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike; "he was held in contempt"; "the despite in which outsiders were held is legendary" [syn: contempt, disdain, scorn, despite]
2: a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient [syn: condescension, disdain, patronage] 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]
2: reject with contempt; "She spurned his advances" [syn: reject, spurn, freeze off, scorn, pooh-pooh, disdain, turn down]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English desdeyne, from Anglo-French desdaign, from desdeigner Date: 14th century a feeling of contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior ; scorn II. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English desdeynen, from Anglo-French desdeigner, dedeigner, from Vulgar Latin *disdignare, from Latin dis- + dignare to deign — more at deign Date: 14th century 1. to look on with scorn <disdained him as a coward> 2. to refuse or abstain from because of disdain <disdained to answer their questions> 3. to treat as beneath one's notice or dignity Synonyms: see despise

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. scorn; contempt. --v.tr. 1 regard with disdain. 2 think oneself superior to; reject (disdained his offer; disdained to enter; disdained answering). Etymology: ME f. OF desdeign(ier) ult. f. L dedignari (as DE-, dignari f. dignus worthy)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Disdain Dis*dain", v. i. To be filled with scorn; to feel contemptuous anger; to be haughty. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the marvels that he did . . . they disdained. --Genevan Testament (Matt. xxi. 15).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Disdain Dis*dain" (?; 277), n. [OE. desdain, disdein, OF. desdein, desdaing, F. d['e]dain, fr. the verb. See Disdain, v. t.] 1. A feeling of contempt and aversion; the regarding anything as unworthy of or beneath one; scorn. How my soul is moved with just disdain! --Pope. Note: Often implying an idea of haughtiness. Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes. --Shak. 2. That which is worthy to be disdained or regarded with contempt and aversion. [Obs.] Most loathsome, filthy, foul, and full of vile disdain. --Spenser. 3. The state of being despised; shame. [Obs.] --Shak. Syn: Haughtiness; scorn; contempt; arrogance; pride. See Haughtiness.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Disdain Dis*dain" (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disdained; p. pr. & vb. n. Disdaining.] [OE. disdainen, desdainen, OF. desdeigner, desdaigner, F. d['e]daigner; des- (L. dis-) + daigner to deign, fr. L. dignari to deem worthy. See Deign.] 1. To think unworthy; to deem unsuitable or unbecoming; as, to disdain to do a mean act. Disdaining . . . that any should bear the armor of the best knight living. --Sir P. Sidney. 2. To reject as unworthy of one's self, or as not deserving one's notice; to look with scorn upon; to scorn, as base acts, character, etc. When the Philistine . . . saw Dawid, he disdained him; for he was but a youth. --1 Sam. xvii. 42. 'T is great, 't manly to disdain disguise. --Young. Syn: To contemn; despise; scorn. See Contemn.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(disdains, disdaining, disdained) 1. If you feel disdain for someone or something, you dislike them because you think that they are inferior or unimportant. Janet looked at him with disdain... = contempt, scorn N-UNCOUNT: oft N for n 2. If you disdain someone or something, you regard them with disdain. Jackie disdained the servants that her millions could buy. VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. Despise, contemn, scout, scorn, spurn, look down upon, hold in contempt, consider beneath notice. II. n. Scorn, contempt, contumely, haughtiness, superciliousness, arrogance, hauteur.

Moby Thesaurus

abhor, abjure, airs, antipathetic, antipathy, aristocratic disdain, arrogance, arrogant, audacity, averse, aversion, be above, be contemptuous of, bold front, boldness, brash bearing, brashness, brassiness, bravado, brazenness, brush aside, bumptiousness, care nothing for, cavalier, cavalierness, cheekiness, chuck, chuck out, clannishness, cliquishness, cockiness, contemn, contempt, contemptuousness, contradict, contumeliousness, contumely, daring, daringness, decline, defial, defiance, defying, denigrate, deny, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derision, despisal, despise, despising, despite, disapprove, discard, disclaim, discommend, discount, disdainful, disdainfulness, dismiss, disown, disparage, disparagement, dispraise, disprize, disregard, disvalue, dump on, except, exclude, exclusiveness, feel contempt for, feel superior to, flout, forswear, fuss, haughtiness, haughty, hauteur, high-and-mighty, hold beneath one, hold cheap, hold in contempt, hold in derision, ignore, impertinence, impudence, insolence, insolent, insult, laugh at, laugh to scorn, loftiness, look down upon, lordly, misprize, morgue, overbearing, pass by, pass up, pertness, pick and choose, push aside, put down, rank low, rebuff, recant, refuse, refuse to consider, reject, rejecting, renounce, repel, repudiate, repulse, ridicule, sauciness, scoff at, scorn, scornfulness, scorning, scout, scouting, set at defiance, set at naught, shove away, slight, slight over, sneer at, sneeze at, sniff at, sniffiness, snobbishness, snootiness, snort at, snottiness, sovereign contempt, spurn, spurning, supercilious, superciliousness, superior, think nothing of, throw away, throw out, toploftiness, treat with contempt, turn away, turn out, unsympathetic, waive