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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Contemn \Con*temn"\ (k[o^]n*t[e^]m"), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Contemned} (-t[e^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Contemning} (-t[e^]m"n[i^]ng or -t[e^]m"[i^]ng).] [L. contemnere, -temptum; con- + temnere to slight, despise: cf. OF. contemner.] To view or treat with contempt, as mean and despicable; to reject with disdain; to despise; to scorn.
Thy pompous delicacies I contemn. --Milton.
One who contemned divine and human laws. --Dryden.
Syn: To despise; scorn; disdain; spurn; slight; neglect; underrate; overlook.
Usage: To {Contemn}, {Despise}, {Scorn}, {Disdain}. Contemn is the generic term, and is applied especially to objects, qualities, etc., which are deemed contemptible, and but rarely to individuals; to despise is to regard or treat as mean, unbecoming, or worthless; to scorn is stronger, expressing a quick, indignant contempt; disdain is still stronger, denoting either unwarrantable pride and haughtiness or an abhorrence of what is base.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
contemn
verb: look down on with disdain; "He despises the people he has to work for"; "The professor scorns the students who don't catch on immediately" [syn: {despise}, {scorn}, {disdain}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
66 Moby Thesaurus words for "contemn": abhor, abjure, be above, be contemptuous of, brush aside, care nothing for, chuck, chuck out, contradict, decline, deny, deride, despise, disapprove, discard, disclaim, discount, disdain, dismiss, disown, disparage, disprize, disregard, dump on, except, exclude, feel contempt for, feel superior to, forswear, hold beneath one, hold cheap, hold in contempt, ignore, insult, look down upon, misprize, pass by, pass up, push aside, put down, rank low, rebuff, recant, refuse, refuse to consider, reject, renounce, repel, repudiate, repulse, ridicule, scorn, scout, set at naught, shove away, sneer at, sneeze at, sniff at, snort at, spurn, think nothing of, throw away, throw out, turn away, turn out, waive
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