contempt


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Related to contempt: content, Familiarity breeds contempt

con·tempt

 (kən-tĕmpt′)
n.
1. The feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn.
2. The state of being despised or dishonored: was held in contempt by his former friends.
3. Open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body.

[Middle English, from Latin contemptus, past participle of contemnere, to despise; see contemn.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

contempt

(kənˈtɛmpt)
n
1. the attitude or feeling of a person towards a person or thing that he or she considers worthless or despicable; scorn
2. the state of being scorned; disgrace (esp in the phrase hold in contempt)
3. (Law) wilful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body: contempt of court.
[C14: from Latin contemptus a despising, from contemnere to contemn]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•tempt

(kənˈtɛmpt)

n.
1. a feeling of disdain for anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; scorn.
2. the state of being despised; disgrace.
3. willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court or legislative body: contempt of court.
[1350–1400; < Latin contemptus a slighting <contemn(ere) to despise, scorn (see contemn) + -tus suffix of v. action]
syn: contempt, disdain, scorn imply strong feelings of disapproval and aversion toward what seems base, mean, or worthless. contempt is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling. disdain is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing. scorn denotes undisguised contempt often combined with derision: He showed scorn for those less ambitious than himself.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contempt

 
  1. As the air to a bird or the sea to a fish, so is contempt to the contemptible —William Blake
  2. Contempt is a kind of gangrene, which if it seizes one part of a character, it corrupts all the rest by degrees —Samuel Johnson
  3. (His voice had turned idle,) contemptuous, uncaring, like a king throwing a handful of coppers at the feet of children —Borden Deal
  4. Disdain as a gourmet disdains TV dinners —Anon
  5. Disdain as a lover of literature disdains a potboiler —Anon
  6. (He started) handling my exam paper like it was a turd —J. D. Salinger
  7. (A waiter who) looked as if he had been cornstarched in arrogance —Pat Conroy
  8. More haughty than the devil —William Shakespeare
  9. Scorn will curl suddenly round silent corners like bell-less bicycles —W. R. Rodgers
  10. Sneered, like a waiter in a French restaurant who has just taken an order for a Chardonnay that he disdains —Ira Berkow, New York Times, September 29, 1986, about Jim Rice, a baseball hitter
  11. They treat me like a snakebit cowpoke just in from the range —Thomas Zigal
  12. Watch … distastefully, as though she were a cigar being smoked in the presence of a lady without permission —Penelope Gilliatt
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.contempt - lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislikecontempt - lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike; "he was held in contempt"; "the despite in which outsiders were held is legendary"
dislike - a feeling of aversion or antipathy; "my dislike of him was instinctive"
2.contempt - a manner that is generally disrespectful and contemptuous
rudeness, discourtesy - a manner that is rude and insulting
3.contempt - open disrespect for a person or thing
discourtesy, disrespect - an expression of lack of respect
fleer - contempt expressed by mockery in looks or words
leer, sneer - a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls
sneer - a contemptuous or scornful remark
4.contempt - a willful disobedience to or disrespect for the authority of a court or legislative body
disobedience, noncompliance - the failure to obey
contempt of Congress - deliberate obstruction of the operation of the federal legislative branch
contempt of court - disrespect for the rules of a court of law
law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

contempt

noun scorn, disdain, mockery, derision, disrespect, disregard, contumely I will treat that remark with the contempt it deserves.
liking, regard, respect, honour, esteem, admiration
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

contempt

noun
1. The feeling of despising:
2. The disposition boldly to defy or resist authority or an opposing force:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إحْتِقار، إزدِراءإسْتِهانَه، إسْنِخْفاف بِالقانوناِحْتِقَار
nedbání zákonaopovrženípohrdání
foragt
halveksunta
prijezir
megvetéssemmibevevés
fyrirlitningóvirîing
軽蔑
모욕
nepaisymaspaniekapaniekinamaipaniekinamassmerktinas
necienīga izturēšanāsnicinājumsnicināšana
opovrhnutie
prezir
förakt
การหมิ่นประมาท
hor görmeitaatsizlikküçümsemesaygısızlık
sự khinh miệt

contempt

[kənˈtempt] Ndesprecio m, desdén m
to hold sth/sb in contemptdespreciar algo/a algn
it's beneath contemptes más que despreciable
to bring into contemptdesprestigiar, envilecer
to hold in contemptdespreciar (Jur) → declarar en rebeldía
contempt of court (Jur) → desacato m (a los tribunales)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

contempt

[kənˈtɛmpt] nmépris m, dédain m
to have contempt for sb/sth → mépriser qn/qch, avoir du mépris pour qn/qch
to hold sb/sth in contempt (= despise) → mépriser qn/qch, avoir du mépris pour qn/qch
to be beneath contempt → être au-dessous de tout
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

contempt

n
Verachtung f; (= disregard also)Geringachtung f, → Geringschätzung f(for von); to hold in contemptverachten; to bring into contemptin Verruf bringen; in contempt of public opiniondie öffentliche Meinung außer Acht lassend, ohne Ansehen der öffentlichen Meinung; beneath contemptunter aller Kritik
(Jur, also contempt of court) → Missachtung f(der Würde) des Gerichts, Ungebühr fvor Gericht; (through non-appearance) → Ungebühr fdurch vorsätzliches Ausbleiben; (by press) → Beeinflussung fder Rechtspflege; to be in contempt (of court)das Gericht or die Würde des Gerichts missachten
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

contempt

[kənˈtɛmpt] ndisprezzo, disdegno
to hold sth/sb in contempt → disprezzare qc/qn
contempt of court (Law) → oltraggio alla Corte
it's beneath contempt → è oltremodo vergognoso
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

contempt

(kənˈtempt) noun
1. very low opinion; scorn. She spoke with utter contempt of her husband's behaviour.
2. disregard for the law.
conˈtemptible adjective
deserving contempt. His behaviour was contemptible.
conˈtemptibly adverb
conˈtemptuous (-tʃuəs) adjective
showing contempt. a contemptuous sneer.
conˈtemptuously adverb
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

contempt

اِحْتِقَار pohrdání foragt Verachtung περιφρόνηση desprecio halveksunta mépris prijezir disprezzo 軽蔑 모욕 minachting forakt pogarda desprezo презрение förakt การหมิ่นประมาท hor görme sự khinh miệt 轻视
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
The next is, the apprehension and construction of the injury offered, to be, in the circumstances thereof, full of contempt: for contempt is that, which putteth an edge upon anger, as much or more than the hurt itself.
We ought then in reason, as has been already said, to account for the changes which arise in a monarchy from the same causes which produce them in other states: for, through injustice received, fear, and contempt, many of those who are under a monarchical government conspire against it; but of all species of injustice, injurious contempt has most influence on them for that purpose: sometimes it is owing to their being deprived of their private fortunes.
Nay, the understandings of this couple were their principal bone of contention, and one great cause of many quarrels, which from time to time arose between them; and which at last ended, on the side of the lady, in a sovereign contempt for her husband; and on the husband's, in an utter abhorrence of his wife.
His great ability as a phonetician (he was, I think, the best of them all at his job) would have entitled him to high official recognition, and perhaps enabled him to popularize his subject, but for his Satanic contempt for all academic dignitaries and persons in general who thought more of Greek than of phonetics.
There was valor and contempt for circumstances in the glance of his eye.
It is that of flatterers, of whom courts are full, because men are so self-complacent in their own affairs, and in a way so deceived in them, that they are preserved with difficulty from this pest, and if they wish to defend themselves they run the danger of falling into contempt. Because there is no other way of guarding oneself from flatterers except letting men understand that to tell you the truth does not offend you; but when every one may tell you the truth, respect for you abates.
In fact, she purposely avoided me, although her old manner to me had not changed: the same serene coolness was hers on meeting me -- a coolness that was mingled even with a spice of contempt and dislike.
"I see no reason, then, why our metaphysical poets should plume themselves so much on the utility of their works, unless indeed they refer to instruction with eternity in view; in which case, sincere respect for their piety would not allow me to express my contempt for their judgment; contempt which it would be difficult to conceal, since their writings are professedly to be understood by the few, and it is the many who stand in need of salvation.
the pale criminal hath bowed his head: out of his eye speaketh the great contempt.
It was an entirely new and hitherto unknown being who now sat and laughed at him, and informed him to his face that she had never had the faintest feeling for him of any kind, except loathing and contempt-- contempt which had followed closely upon her sensations of surprise and bewilderment after her first acquaintance with him.
"I fine you twenty-five dollars for contempt of court!" roared the Judge, in wrath.
The confusion thus produced on board, and the derangement of the cargo caused by this petty trade, stirred the spleen of the captain, who had a sovereign contempt for the one-eyed chieftain and all his crew.