də̇ˈspīz, dēˈ- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin despicere, from de- + spicere, specere to look — more at spy
1.
a. : to look down on : think of (a person) as objectionable, reprehensible, discreditable, disgraceful : hold oneself above : regard as an inferior
that the young are in full revolt against them, and that the child born now may grow up to despise them — Times Literary Supplement
b. : to feel disrespect or aversion toward or disgust of : disdain , detest
despised the poor whites as creatures distinctly inferior to Negroes — H.L.Mencken
2.
a. : to regard (something) as negligible, worthless, distasteful, a nuisance, a disgrace
health comes first and good looks are not to be despised — J.M.Barzun
submariners have always despised the need to evade in order to survive — S.D.Cutter
they despise all forms of organized religion, yet luxuriate in theology historically considered — New York Herald Tribune Book Review
: think of or look on with shame, repugnance, disgust : loathe
that the spirit of Charity which neither despises nor fears the nations of another creed and color — J.L.Cranmer-Byng
b. : to ignore or scorn as not worth taking steps to avoid or counter : spurn
he was in a state to despise consequences — Arnold Bennett
3. now dialect : dislike , scorn
despise to vote for a party controlled from the outside — R.B.Vance
Synonyms:
contemn , scorn , disdain , scout : despise , implying any emotional reaction from strong disfavor to loathing, stresses the judging of a thing as mean, petty, worthless, or repulsive, and a consequent, often derisive, looking down upon it
when the inferior creature appreciates us, we cease to despise her — George Meredith
an enemy… he loathed and hated, never despised — Laura Krey
to despise certain foods
contemn suggests a somewhat harsher though more intellectual judgment and condemnation than despise
his own early drawings of moss roses and picturesque castles — things that he now mercilessly contemned — Arnold Bennett
the human need of entertainment as a counterbalance in modern life is contemned by the serious novelists as “escapism” — A.C.Ward
scorn implies quick, indignant or profound contempt, especially vocal or visible
they scorn decorative chrome on the body, and remove it ruthlessly to reduce the car to its cleanest lines — Lamp
the Welshmen so scorned the Saxons that they refused to extend to them the blessings of Christianity in the third century — O.S.J.Gogarty
disdain suggests a supercilious and visible contempt for or aversion to something regarded as unworthy
the psychiatric patient is disdained and ridiculed by his fellow inmates — R.S.Banay
despised by those superior persons who disdain her as old-fashioned — M.R.Cohen
scout stresses the rejection or dismissal with ridicule of anything (as a person or idea) one considers unworthy of consideration
his Majesty will be most provoked if his ideas are scouted — C.S.Forester
we scorned presentiments and scouted occult influences — F.W.Crofts