/ skɔːn; NAmE skɔːrn/ noun , verb
■ noun
[ U ] scorn (for sb/sth) a strong feeling that sb/sth is stupid or not good enough, usually shown by the way you speak
SYN contempt :
Her fellow teachers greeted her proposal with scorn .
They had nothing but scorn for his political views.
•
IDIOMS
- pour / heap scorn on sb/sth
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] to feel or show that you think sb/sth is stupid and you do not respect them or it
SYN dismiss :
She scorned their views as old-fashioned.
2.
( formal ) to refuse to have or do sth because you are too proud :
[ vn ]
to scorn an invitation
[ v to inf ]
She would have scorned to stoop to such tactics.
•
IDIOMS
see hell
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : shortening of Old French escarn (noun), escharnir (verb), of Germanic origin.