I.a despising, contemning; contempt, scorn (first freq. since the Aug. per., but esp. so in Quint.; perh. never in Cic., for in Sen. Tranq. 11, 4, prob. the thought only is Ciceronian).
I. Act., a despising: “(naribus labrisque) derisus, contemptus, fastidium significari solet,” Quint. 11, 3, 80: “pecuniae,” id. 7, 2, 30: “operis,” id. 2, 4, 16: “operis et hominum,” id. 11, 3, 136: “opinionis,” id. 12, 1, 12: “doloris,” id. 12, 2, 30 et saep.: “ambitionis,” Tac. A. 6, 45: “famae,” id. ib. 4, 38 fin.; cf.: “omnis infamiae,” Suet. Ner. 39: “sui alienique,” Tac. Or. 29: “sui,” Suet. Vit. 14.—Plur.: “hunc superbum apparatum ... sequebantur contemptus omnium hominum,” Liv. 24, 5, 5.—
II. Pass., a being despised: “turpis enim ferme contemptus et acris egestas,” Lucr. 3, 65: “atque ego contemptūs essem patientior hujus, etc.,” Ov. M. 13, 859: “contemptu inter socios nomen Romanum laborare,” Liv. 6, 2, 4; cf. Quint. 12, 8, 14: “si contemptum ex humilitate tulerit,” id. 5, 14, 30; Ov. M. 2, 527 al.— In plur., Lucr. 5, 831 and 1277.—
B. Transf., an object of contempt, in phrase contemptui esse or habere, to despise: “plerumque hominibus Gallis prae magnitudine corporum suorum brevitas nostra contemptui est,” is despised, Caes. B. G. 2, 30: “eviluit, ut contemptui esset,” Suet. Claud. 15: “ceteras (caerimonias) contemptui habuit,” id. Aug. 93 init.
