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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Contemn

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.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
contemn

mid-15c., from Old French contemner (15c.), from Latin contemnere "to despise, scorn" (see contempt).

Wiktionary
contemn

vb. 1 (context archaic English) To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt. 2 (context legal English) To commit an offence of contempt, such as contempt of court; to unlawfully flout (e.g. a ruling).

WordNet
contemn

v. 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: despise, scorn, disdain]

Usage examples of "contemn".

Their intensely cherished preconceptions respecting the Messiah, their persecution and crucifixion of Jesus, the glaring inconsistency of his teachings and experience with most that they expected, these things compelled their incredulity to every proof of the Messiahship of the contemned and murdered Nazarene.

And hereby may we understand that they who, for the love of Christ, contemn the world, should continue in the hard way, that they might attain Him unto whom they have approved themselves.

Thou hast often offended thy antients, and especially me that am thy mother, thou hast pierced mee with thy darts thou contemnest me as a widow, neither dost t thou regard thy valiant and invincible father, and to anger me more, thou art amorous of harlots and wenches : hot I will cause that thou shalt shortly repent thee, and that this marriage shal be dearely bought.

Howbeit I had no time then to rest my selfe, for the Mother of the boy, weeping and lamenting for his death, attired in mourning vesture, tare her haire and beat her breast, and came presently into the stable, saying, Is it reason that this carelesse beast should do nothing all day but hold his head in the manger, filling and belling his guts with meat without compassion of my great miserie, or remembrance of the pittiful death of his slaine Master : and contemning my age and infirmity, thinketh that I am unable to revenge his mischiefs, moreover he would perswade me, that he were not culpable.

For those of stone or brass, if they become Odious in judgment of posterity, Are more contemned as dying sepulchres Than ta'en for living monuments.

If we, the despised, the contemned, the insulted, the starved and maltreated.

Many exquisite viands might be rejected by the epicure, if it was a sufficient cause for his contemning of them as common and vulgar, that something was to be found in the most paltry alleys under the same name.

I will give one instance: I chanced to speak with consideration of these gifts of Stanislao's with a certain clever man, a great hater and contemner of Kanakas.

Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy, not because he needed circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend or contemn those Jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been able to comprehend the liberty of faith.

To analyse the precise method whereby a great personality can make itself felt in words, even while it neglects and contemns the study of words, would be to lay bare the secrets of religion and life - it is beyond human competence.

He was laughed at and over, reviled, contemned, cashiered, threatened with lawsuits -- and yet stood in awe of, especially by students.

For what part of him could be contemned if he himself should be worshipped?

No one would be contemned, instead of there being just cause of displeasure given to the much greater number who are passed by in the worship offered to some.

Nor can we extenuate the valour of ancient Martyrs, who contemned death in the uncomfortable scene of their lives, and in their decrepit Martyrdomes did probably lose not many moneths of their dayes, or parted with life when it was scarce worth the living.

On the other hand, when they contemned liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary for justification, he resisted them, and would not allow Titus to be circumcised.