▪ I. contempt, n.
(kənˈtɛm(p)t)
[ad. L. contempt-us (u stem) scorn, f. contempt- ppl. stem of contemnĕre to contemn. Cf. OF. contemps ‘mépris’ (1346 in Godef.), contempt (Cotgr.), which was possibly the immediate source.]
1. The action of contemning or despising; the holding or treating as of little account, or as vile and worthless; the mental attitude in which a thing is so considered. (At first applied to the action, in modern use almost exclusively to the mental attitude or feeling.) Const. of, for; phrase in contempt of.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 217 He toke upon him alle thinge Of malice and of tirannie In contempte of regalie. a 1400 Cov. Myst. 83 Contempt of veyn glory. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (1531) 16 b, Couetynge..the goodes of this worlde, to the contempte and despysynge of grace. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 249 Contempt consisteth chiefelie in three things: for either wee contemne onelie in minde..or lastlie when we adde words or deedes. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iii. 8 The basest..shape That euer penury in contempt of man Brought neere to beast. 1611 Bible Esther i. 18 Thus shall there arise too much contempt [Coverdale despytefulnes] and wrath. 1614 Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows iii. §18. 72 Wee are soon cloyed..and have contempt bred in us through familiaritie. a 1679 Hobbes Rhet. ii. ii. 46 Contempt, is when a man thinks another of little worth in comparison to himself. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 148 ¶1 New Evils arise every Day..in contempt of my Reproofs. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. i. §4 An outward contempt of what the public esteemeth sacred. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 21 This flimsy hypocrisy..inspired Gregory with a contempt which he could not dissemble. 1872 Darwin Emotions xi. 254 Extreme contempt, or, as it is often called, loathing contempt, hardly differs from disgust. |
† b. (with a and pl.) Obs. except as in 4 b.
| 1574 Whitgift Def. Aunsw. ii. Wks. 1851 I. 284, I beseech God forgive you your outrageous contempts. c 1665 Mrs. Hutchinson Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846) 34 All the contempts they could cast at him were their shame not his. 1733 Wesley Wks. (1872) VII. 486 Our sins are so many contempts of this highest expression of his love. |
2. The condition of being contemned or despised; dishonour, disgrace; esp. in to have, hold in contempt, bring, fall into, contempt.
| c 1450 Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees) 3711 My teching eftir my dissese Sall noȝt be had in contempt. 1550 Bale Sel. Wks. (1849) 259 Having his verity in much more contempt than afore. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Isa. xxiii. 9 To bring to contempt [1611 into contempt] all them that be glorious in the earth. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 80 My selfe disgrac'd, and the Nobilitie Held in contempt. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 473 She may be said to have..fallen to such a contempt that she dares scarce show her face. |
| 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville I. 219, I and my people will share the contempt you are bringing upon yourselves. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 189 He would like to bring military glory into contempt. |
† 3. = Object of contempt. Obs. (Cf. similar use of joy, delight, aversion, etc.).
| 1611 Bible Gen. xxxviii. 23 And Iudah said, Let her take it to her, lest we bee shamed [marg. become a contempt]. 1746 W. Horsley Fool (1748) I. 101 The Companion of every Scoundrel, and the Contempt of every reasonable Creature breathing. c 1832 Beddoes Poems, Murderer's Haunted Couch, Thou shalt not dare to break All men's contempt, thy life, for fear of worse. |
4. Law. Disobedience or open disrespect to the authority or lawful commands of the sovereign, the privileges of the Houses of Parliament or other legislative body; and, esp. action of any kind that interferes with the proper administration of justice by the various courts of law; in this connexion called more fully contempt of court. [OF. contemnement de justice.]
Contempt of court includes any disobedience to the rules, orders, or process of a court, whether committed by an inferior court, by the servants of the court or officers of the law, or by strangers, and any disrespect or indignity offered to the judges in their judicial capacity within or without the court.
| [1552 Huloet, Contempte..properlye agaynste the lawe.] 1621 H. Elsing Debates Ho. Lords (Camden) 78 Yf he had spoaken anything which doth touch the Kinge in his honour..Arundell. Difference betwene contempt and treason. 1625 in Rymer Fœdera XVIII. 144/1 Such further Paynes, Penalties, and Imprisonments, as..can or may be inflicted upon them for their Contempt and Breach of Our royall Commandment in this Behalfe. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xxv, ‘Mr. Jinks,’ said the magistrate, ‘I shall commit that man for contempt.’ 1866 Crump Banking iii. 82 An order restraining bankers from parting with money..must be obeyed at the risk of being committed for contempt of court. |
b. (with a and pl.) An act of such disregard or disobedience.
| 1621 H. Elsing Debates Ho. Lords (Camden) 78 The question whether Yelverton be not fytt to be censured of a greate contempt. a 1626 Bacon Max. & Uses Com. Law (1636) 5 Contempts against the crowne, public annoyances against the people. 1722 Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. iv. 352 Imprisoned upon contempts (as the not putting off hats before the magistrates was called). 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 287 Not having obeyed the original summons, he had shewn a contempt of the court. 1862 Brougham Brit. Const. xvii. 256 Both Houses claim to visit with severe punishment what are called contempts or breaches of their privileges. |
c. in contempt: in the position of having committed contempt, and not having purged himself.
| 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 443 If the defendant, on service of the subpoena, does not appear..he is then said to be in contempt. 1766 Entick London IV. 265 It is a general court for debtors, and such as are in contempt of the Courts of Chancery and Common-pleas. 1845 Stephen Laws Eng. II. 177 note, On continuing to make default after having been ordered by the court to pay..he will be in contempt. |
▪ II. † conˈtempt, v. Obs.
[f. L. contempt- ppl. stem of contemnĕre to contemn.]
By-form of contemn.
| c 1552 Bp. Gardiner in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. 146 II. 208, I wylbe ware to geve any man cause to contempte me. 1567 Triall Treas. (1850) 31 You do not contempte the simple and poore. 1822 Southey Lett. (1856) III. 356, I regretted that the Swedes and Danes should so much ‘contempt’ each other. |
▪ III. † conˈtempt, pa. pple. Obs.
[ad. L. contempt-us.]
Contemned.
| 1579 [see contemn v. 2]. |
▪ IV. contempt
obs. form of content v.