/keuhn tempt"/ , n.
1. the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
2. the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.
3. Law.
a. willful disobedience to or open disrespect for the rules or orders of a court (contempt of court) or legislative body.
b. an act showing such disrespect.
[ 1350-1400; ME ( contemptus a slighting = contemn(ere) to despise, scorn (see CONTEMN) + -tus suffix of v. action (with loss of n and intrusive p ) ]
Syn . CONTEMPT, DISDAIN, SCORN imply strong feelings of disapproval and aversion toward what seems base, mean, or worthless. CONTEMPT is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling . DISDAIN is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing . SCORN denotes open or undisguised contempt often combined with derision: He showed only scorn for those who were not as ambitious as himself.