Noun

(en noun)

(uncountable) The state of contemning; the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn, disdain.

* , chapter=13

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.}}

The state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace.

(legal) Open disrespect or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body.

Noun

(business) The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; especially the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between different places or communities; extended trade or traffic.

Social intercourse; the dealings of one person or class in society with another; familiarity.

* Macaulay:

Fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce with the world had made him [Bunyan] wiser.

* 1881 , :

Suppose we held our converse not in words, but in music; those who have a bad ear would find themselves cut off from all near commerce , and no better than foreigners in this big world.

(obsolete) Sexual intercourse.

A round game at cards, in which the cards are subject to exchange, barter, or trade.

(Hoyle)