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
- As the air to a bird or the sea to a fish, so is contempt to the contemptible —William Blake
- Contempt is a kind of gangrene, which if it seizes one part of a character, it corrupts all the rest by degrees —Samuel Johnson
- (His voice had turned idle,) contemptuous, uncaring, like a king throwing a handful of coppers at the feet of children —Borden Deal
- Disdain as a gourmet disdains TV dinners —Anon
- Disdain as a lover of literature disdains a potboiler —Anon
- (He started) handling my exam paper like it was a turd —J. D. Salinger
- (A waiter who) looked as if he had been cornstarched in arrogance —Pat Conroy
- More haughty than the devil —William Shakespeare
- Scorn will curl suddenly round silent corners like bell-less bicycles —W. R. Rodgers
- 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
- They treat me like a snakebit cowpoke just in from the range —Thomas Zigal
- 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:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | contempt - 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 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
liking, regard, respect, honour, esteem, admiration
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
contempt
noun2. 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] N → desprecio m, desdén mto hold sth/sb in contempt → despreciar algo/a algn
it's beneath contempt → es más que despreciable
to bring into contempt → desprestigiar, envilecer
to hold in contempt → despreciar (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] n → mépris m, dédain mto 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 contempt → verachten; to bring into contempt → in Verruf bringen; in contempt of public opinion → die öffentliche Meinung außer Acht lassend, ohne Ansehen der öffentlichen Meinung; beneath contempt → unter aller Kritik
(Jur, also contempt of court) → Missachtung f → (der Würde) des Gerichts, Ungebühr f → vor Gericht; (through non-appearance) → Ungebühr f → durch vorsätzliches Ausbleiben; (by press) → Beeinflussung f → der 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] n → disprezzo, disdegnoto 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) noun1. 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 adverbconˈtemptuous (-tʃuəs) adjective
showing contempt. a contemptuous sneer.
conˈtemptuously adverbKernerman 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