contempt
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (4)
- lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike“he was held in contempt”“the despite in which outsiders were held is legendary”Synonyms: disdainscorndespiteType of dislike
- a manner that is generally disrespectful and contemptuousSynonyms: disrespectType of discourtesy, rudeness
- open disrespect for a person or thingSynonyms: scornType of disrespect, discourtesyKinds sneer, fleer
- a willful disobedience to or disrespect for the authority of a court or legislative bodyType of disobedience, noncomplianceKinds contempt of court, contempt of Congress
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Noun a feeling or attitude
- Spanish
- desprecio
- French
- mépris
- German
- Verachtung
- Italian
- disprezzo
- Portuguese
- desprezo
- Russian
- презре́ние prezrénije
- Arabic
- اِحْتِقَار iḥtiqār
- Chinese
- 鄙视 bǐshì
- Japanese
- 軽蔑 keibetsu
- Dutch
- verachting
15 more languages
- Polish
- pogarda
- Swedish
- förakt
- Greek
- περιφρόνηση perifrónisi
- Korean
- 경멸 gyeongmyeol
- Portuguese (PT)
- desprezo
- Chinese (Trad.)
- 鄙薄 bǐbó
- Catalan
- menyspreu
- Czech
- opovržení
- Danish
- foragt
- Finnish
- halveksinta
- Hebrew
- בּוּז buz
- Icelandic
- fyrirlitning
- Romanian
- dispreț
- Serbo-Croatian
- prezir
- Yiddish
- פֿאַראַכטונג farakhtung
Noun contempt of court
- Spanish
- desacato
- French
- outrage
- Portuguese
- desacato
- Chinese
- 藐视法庭 miǎoshì fǎtíng
- Dutch
- minachting
- Polish
- lekceważenie
- Greek
- περιφρόνηση perifrónisi
- Portuguese (PT)
- desacato
- Danish
- foragt
- Finnish
- oikeuden halventaminen
1 more language
- Icelandic
- óvirðing
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: L. contemptus, fr. contemnere: cf. OF. contempt. See Contemn.
1. 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.— Thomas Babington Macaulay
Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great.— Joseph Addison
2. The state of being despised; disgrace; shame.
Contempt and begarry hangs upon thy back.— William Shakespeare
3. An act or expression denoting contempt.
Little insults and contempts.— The Spectator
The contempt and anger of his lip.— William Shakespeare
4. 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.
☞ 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.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54