con ‧ tempt /kənˈtempt/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: contemptus , from contemnere 'to think of with contempt' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + temnere 'to despise' ]
1 . a feeling that someone or something is not important and deserves no respect
contempt for
The contempt he felt for his fellow students was obvious.
utter/deep contempt
The report shows utter contempt for women’s judgement.
open/undisguised contempt
She looked at him with undisguised contempt.
The public is treated with contempt by broadcasters.
How could she have loved a man who so clearly held her in contempt?
beneath contempt
That sort of behaviour is simply beneath contempt (=does not deserve respect or attention) .
2 . law disobedience or disrespect towards a court of law:
He was jailed for seven days for contempt of court.
in contempt of something
He was found in contempt of the order.
3 . complete lack of fear about something
contempt for
his contempt for danger
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ treat somebody/something with contempt
The opinions of the public should not be ignored or treated with contempt.
▪ have contempt for somebody/something ( also feel contempt for somebody/something )
He had a deep contempt for authority.
▪ show contempt
Her face showed clearly the contempt she felt for them.
▪ hold somebody/something in contempt (=have a low opinion of something or someone, and show it)
He was one of those men who hold in contempt those who do not share his point of view.
■ adjectives
▪ utter/total contempt
Sally looked at him with utter contempt.
▪ the utmost contempt
Many people regarded the government with the utmost contempt.
▪ open/undisguised contempt (=that you do not try to hide)
Her expression was one of open contempt.
▪ deep contempt (=great contempt)
There is a deep contempt for the commercialism in the West.
▪ cold/icy contempt (=that shows in a very unfriendly way)
I noticed the icy contempt in his voice.
▪ withering contempt (=that makes you feel very inferior)
She treated some of her staff with withering contempt.
■ phrases
▪ a look of contempt
He gave her a look of contempt that made her want to hit him.
▪ have/feel/show etc nothing but contempt
The public should have nothing but contempt for bad journalism.
▪ treat somebody/something with the contempt they deserve
She treated these accusations with the contempt they deserved.
▪ familiarity breeds contempt (=used to say that if you know someone very well, you may respect them less)
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THESAURUS
▪ hatred an angry feeling of deep dislike for someone or something:
his hatred of violence
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It is easy to understand their hatred for the invaders of their country.
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racial hatred (=of people who belong to a different race)
▪ hate the angry feeling that someone has when they hate someone and want to harm them:
His mind was filled with hate and the desire for revenge.
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Her love for him turned to hate, and she tore up all his old letters.
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Thatcher became a hate figure for the left (=someone who many people hate) .
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His enemies started a hate campaign against him in the press.
▪ loathing a very strong feeling of hatred for someone or something that you think is extremely unpleasant:
I felt nothing but loathing for him after the way he’d treated me.
▪ animosity a feeling of hatred and anger that often makes people behave unpleasantly to each other:
The animosity between parents who are getting a divorce can often cause great suffering to their children.
▪ abhorrence formal a deep feeling of hatred towards something that you think is morally wrong or unpleasant:
the abhorrence of terrorism by all decent people
▪ contempt a feeling of hate towards someone or something you think does not deserve any respect at all:
She looked at him with contempt.
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I have nothing but contempt for these people.