The Collaborative International Dictionary
Contumacious \Con`tu*ma"cious\, a. [L. contumax, -acis. See Contumacy.]
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Exhibiting contumacy; contemning authority; obstinate; perverse; stubborn; disobedient.
There is another very, efficacious method for subding the most obstinate, contumacious sinner.
--Hammond. -
(Law) Willfully disobedient to the summous or prders of a court.
--Blackstone.Syn: Stubborn; obstinate; obdurate; disobedient; perverse; unyielding; headstrong. -- Con`tu*ma"cious*ly, adv. -- Con`tu*ma"cious*ness, n.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Wiktionary
a. 1 contemptuous of authority; willfully disobedient; rebellious. 2 (context legal English) Willfully disobedient to the summons or orders of a court.
WordNet
adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient; "a contumaceous witness is subject to punishment"
Usage examples of "contumacious".
The same spirit rendered them arrogant and contumacious: they were easily provoked by caprice or injury.
In his rapid career, Timour appears to have overlooked this obscure and contumacious angle of Anatolia.
On the notice that Eugenius had fulminated a bull for that purpose, they ventured to summon, to admonish, to threaten, to censure the contumacious successor of St.
In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries the Romans incessantly labored to reduce or destroy the contumacious vassals of the church and senate.
The question was whether the contumacious gentleman had misbehaved himself in accordance with the rules of the club, and, if so, what should be done to him.
The contumacious gentleman was a friend of his, whom he knew that no arguments would induce to apologise.
Throughout the whole evening he could not be got for a moment to join any of the club juntas which were discussing the great difficulty of the contumacious gentleman.
Lord John was the man as to whose expulsion because of his contumacious language so much had been said, but who lived through that and various other dangers.
In his rapid career, Timour appears to have overlooked this obscure and contumacious angle of Anatolia.
On the notice that Eugenius had fulminated a bull for that purpose, they ventured to summon, to admonish, to threaten, to censure the contumacious successor of St.
In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries the Romans incessantly labored to reduce or destroy the contumacious vassals of the church and senate.
The same spirit rendered them arrogant and contumacious: they were easily provoked by caprice or injury.
Whereupon, the constable returned the accused to his cell, while the Court considered its judgment, and of course found for conviction, and pronounced Juan Damasceno guilty of contumacious heresy.
His wife, however, was not so bitterly contumacious as to refuse admittance to his friend, and he heard the rustle of the ponderous silk as the old woman was shown upstairs.
Regarding these the context immediately adds, "And He shall threaten the contumacious," or, as another translator has it, "the unbelieving.