DESPISE

contemn, despise, scorn, disdain

(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”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

despise (third-person singular simple present despises, present participle despising, simple past and past participle despised)

To regard with contempt or scorn.

To disregard or ignore.

Synonyms

• contemn

• disdain

• scorn

• See also despise

Antonyms

• admire

• cherish

• honor

• respect

• treasure

Anagrams

• pedesis

Source: Wiktionary

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De*spise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despised; p. pr. & vb. n. Despising.] Etym: [OF. despis-, in some forms of despire to despise, fr. L. despicere, despectum, to look down upon, despise; de- + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy, and cf. Despicable, Despite.]

Definition: To look down upon with disfavor or contempt; to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have a low opinion or contemptuous dislike of. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. i. 7. Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

Syn.

– To contemn; scorn; disdain; slight; undervalue. See Contemn.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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