CONTEMPT • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Contempt

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/kəntˈɛmpt/ Listen

noun

Contempt n.

The act of contemning or despising; the feeling with which one regards that which is esteemed mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn. "Criminal contempt of public feeling." "Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great."

The state of being despised; disgrace; shame. "Contempt and begarry hangs upon thy back."

An act or expression denoting contempt. "Little insults and contempts." "The contempt and anger of his lip."

(Law) Disobedience of the rules, orders, or process of a court of justice, or of rules or orders of a legislative body; disorderly, contemptuous, or insolent language or behavior in presence of a court, tending to disturb its proceedings, or impair the respect due to its authority. Note: Contempt is in some jurisdictions extended so as to include publications reflecting injuriously on a court of justice, or commenting unfairly on pending proceedings; in other jurisdictions the courts are prohibited by statute or by the constitution from thus exercising this process.

Synonyms: Disdain; scorn; derision; mockery; contumely; neglect; disregard; slight.

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Etymology of 'Contempt'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Contempt" Quotes from Famous Books

... for fairness and for justice; but it showed the working of a heart that would be true to itself, in some measure at least, in spite of its shyness and shrinking, and in spite of the peril of the hour. The question at first excited anger and contempt against Nicodemus himself; but it checked the gathering tides of violence, probably preventing a ...

— Personal Friendships of Jesus • J. R. Miller

... in Agram, to which they recommended me, was of the same opinion. The company there assured me that King Alexander was drinking himself to death, and were loud in their expression of contempt for land and people. In those days union between Croatia and Serbia was possible only if Croatia swallowed Serbia. And not very long after I was in Agram riots took place in which the Serbs of the town ...

— Twenty Years Of Balkan Tangle • Durham M. Edith

... step, but looked at him with a smile that alarmed Petrus and the rest of the bystanders. The law put the anchorite absolutely into the power of the outraged husband, but Phoebicius did not seem disposed to avail himself of his rights, and nothing but contempt and loathing were perceptible in his ...

— Uarda • Georg Ebers

... of identification, it seemed to him, should be a rather simple one. In the first place, the boy's appearance was not at all French, nor, for that matter, English; it was very American. Also, he spoke French—so Ste. Marie had been told—very badly, having for the language that scornful contempt peculiar to Anglo-Saxons of a certain type. His speech, it seemed, was, like his appearance, ultra-American—full of strange idioms and oddly pronounced. In short, such a youth would be rather sure to be remembered by ...

— Jason • Justus Miles Forman

... through the ward at this. Old Maggie's gossiping tongue had been busy during the hour. From pity the ward had veered to contempt. ...

— Love Stories • Mary Roberts Rinehart

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