Hypertext Webster Gateway: "despise"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Despise \De*spise"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Despised}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Despising}.] [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}.]
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}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
despise
v : 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: {contemn}, {scorn}, {disdain}]
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