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Webster 1913 Edition

Despise

De-spise′

,
Verb.
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.
Syn. – To contemn; scorn; disdain; slight; undervalue. See
Contemn
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Despise

DESPISE

, .v.t.
1.
To contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of.
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. 1.
Else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Matt. 6.
2.
To abhor.

Definition 2024

despise

despise

English

Verb

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

  1. To regard with contempt or scorn.
  2. To disregard or ignore.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

External links

  • despise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • despise in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Etymology

From Middle English despisen, from Old French despis-, stem of despire, from Latin despicere, present active infinitive of dēspiciō ‎(“I look down upon, despise, scorn”), from de ‎(“down”) + speciō ‎(“I look at, behold”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈspaɪz/
  • Rhymes: -aɪz

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