n. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Criminal contempt of public feeling. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being despised; disgrace; shame. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contempt and begarry hangs upon thy back. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An act or expression denoting contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Little insults and contempts. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

The contempt and anger of his lip. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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.

Syn. -- Disdain; scorn; derision; mockery; contumely; neglect; disregard; slight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being contemptible; contemptibleness. Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Worthy of contempt; deserving of scorn or disdain; mean; vile; despicable. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The arguments of tyranny are ascontemptible as its force is dreadful. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Despised; scorned; neglected; abject. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Insolent; scornful; contemptuous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If she should make tender of her love, 't is very possible he 'll scorn it; for the man . . . hath a contemptible spirit. Shak.

Syn. -- Despicable; abject; vile; mean; base; paltry; worthless; sorry; pitiful; scurrile. See Contemptuous. -- Contemptible, Despicable, Pitiful, Paltry. Despicable is stronger than contemptible, as despise is stronger than contemn. It implies keen disapprobation, with a mixture of anger. A man is despicable chiefly for low actions which mark his life, such as servility, baseness, or mean adulation. A man is contemptible for mean qualities which distinguish his character, especially those which show him to be weak, foolish, or worthless. Treachery is despicable, egotism is contemptible. Pitiful and paltry are applied to cases which are beneath anger, and are simply contemptible in a high degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being contemptible, or of being despised. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a contemptible manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Manifesting or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; haughty; insolent; disdainful. [ 1913 Webster ]

A proud, contemptuous behavior. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

Savage invective and contemptuous sarcasm. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rome . . . entertained the most contemptuous opinion of the Jews. Atterbury.

Syn. -- Scornful; insolent; haughty; disdainful; supercilious; insulting; contumelious. -- Contemptuous, Contemptible. These words, from their similarity of sound, are sometimes erroneously interchanged, as when a person speaks of having “a very contemptible opinion of another.” Contemptible is applied to that which is the object of contempt; as, contemptible conduct; acontemptible fellow. Contemptuous is applied to that which indicates contempt; as, a contemptuous look; a contemptuous remark; contemptuous treatment. A person, or whatever is personal, as an action, an expression, a feeling, an opinion, may be either contemptuous or contemptible; a thing may be contemptible, but can not be contemptuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a contemptuous manner; with scorn or disdain; despitefully. [ 1913 Webster ]

The apostles and most eminent Christians were poor, and used contemptuously. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Disposition to or manifestion of contempt; insolence; haughtiness. [ 1913 Webster ]