contemn
4 dictionary results for: contemn
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
con·temn 
[kuhn-tem] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[kuhn-tem] Pronunciation Key –verb (used with object)
| to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt. |
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME contempnen (< MF) < L contemnere to despise, scorn, equiv. to con- con- + temnere to slight; see contempt]
] —Related forms
con·temn·er
[kuhn-tem-er, -tem-ner] Pronunciation Key, con·tem·nor
[kuhn-tem-ner] Pronunciation Key, noun
[kuhn-tem-er, -tem-ner] Pronunciation Key, con·tem·nor
[kuhn-tem-ner] Pronunciation Key, noun con·tem·ni·bly, adverb
con·temn·ing·ly, adverb
—Synonyms scorn, disdain, despise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| con·temn
(kən-těm') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. con·temned, con·temn·ing, con·temns To view with contempt; despise. See Synonyms at despise. [Middle English contempnen, to slight, from Latin contemnere : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + temnere, to despise.] con·temn'er (-těm'ər, -těm'nər) n. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| contemn | |
verb | |
| 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" |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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