▪ I. despise, v.
(dɪˈspaɪz)
Also 4–5 dispice, 4–6 des-, dispyse, 4–7 dispise, 5 dess-, disspice, 5–6 dyspyse.
[f. stem despis- of OF. despire (despis-ant, qu'il despise, etc.), also despiss-, despisc-, despi{cced}-:—L. dēspicĕre to look down (upon), f. de- I. 1 + specĕre to look. (There was also a later OF. despicer, despiser, after the L. verb.) The s was originally spirant in F. and Eng., whence the spelling -ice.]
1. trans. To look down upon; to view with contempt; to think scornfully or slightingly of.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 31 Þou ne louest me noȝt..Ac despisest me in myn olde liue. 1393 Langl P. Pl. C. iii. 84 To be prynces of prude and pouerte to dispice. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 6 Crist seiþ..he þat dispiciþ ȝow dispisiþ Me. 1483 Cath. Angl. 101 To Disspice: contempnere. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 235 This you should pitie, rather then despise. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart., Sir J. Oldcastle F iij b, Thus fooles admire what wisest men despiseth. 1611 Bible Isa. liii. 3 He is despised and reiected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefe. 1701 De Foe Trueborn Eng. i. 178 These are the Heroes that despise the Dutch. 1724 ― Mem. Cavalier (1840) 43 This was not an enemy to be despised. 1871 Morley Voltaire (1886) 153 The foremost men of the eighteenth century despised Joan of Arc..for the same reason which made them despise Gothic architecture. Mod. A salary not to be despised, as things go. |
† b. with inf. or clause. To scorn or disdain to do, that. Obs.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 231/2 They dyspyseden to make sacrefyse. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 285 b, You denyed and despysed to come. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1864) 32 Despisand to do as the servand of God Samuel commandit him. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xx. §2 Men have despised to be conversant in ordinary and common matters. 1621 Lady M. Wroth Urania 164 Thus the strange Princesse departed..dispising any passion but loue should dare to thinke of ruling in her. |
† 2. intr. To look down (on, upon; up, above).
| a 1325 Prose Psalter liii[i] 7 Myn eȝe despised vp myn enemys [Vulg. = super inimicos meos despexit]. 1388 Wyclif ibid., Myn iȝe dispiside on myn enemyes. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 30 A bouen myn enemyes despisede myn eye. |
† 3. trans. To exhibit contempt for; to treat with contempt in word or action. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 54 Aȝein such salomon speketh and dispiseth her wittes. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 135 (Fairfax MS.) To singe of him, and in hir song dispyse The foule cherl. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 127/2 The poure man..began to chyde and dyspyse hym in his vysage by cause he had no more almesse. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Luke xxiii. 11 And Herode..with his men of warre, despised him, and mocked hym. [So Wyclif, Tindale, etc.; Rhem. and 1611, set him at naught.] |
† b. fig. Of things: To set at nought, disregard.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. viii. (1495) 557 Though the adamas..dyspyse fyre and yren: yet it is broke wyth newe hote blode. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 170 In bareine lande to sette or foster vynes Dispiseth alle the labour and expence. 1666 Stillingfl. Serm. Fire Lond. Wks. 1710 I. 6 [The fire]..despised all the resistance [which] could be made by the strength of the buildings. |
[‘To look upon; contemplate’. An error of mod. Dicts.]
▪ II. † deˈspise, n. Obs.
[prob. a. OF. despiz, despis, nom. of despit, despite, but taking the form of an Engl. deriv. of despise v.]
= despite; contempt, despising.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 120 Despyse [MSS. K.H.P. despyte], contemptus, despeccio. ? 1507 Communyc. A iij, Man what doost thou with all thyse..Whiche is to me a great despyse. 1586 B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 226 b, Occasion of despise and laughter. |