What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Spurn vs Contempt - What's the difference?

spurn | contempt |

As nouns the difference between spurn and contempt

is that spurn is an act of spurning; a scornful rejection while contempt is (uncountable) the state of contemning; the feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn, disdain.

As a verb spurn

is (ambitransitive) to reject disdainfully; contemn; scorn.

spurn

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To reject disdainfully; contemn; scorn.
  • * Shakespeare
  • to spurn at your most royal image
  • * Shakespeare
  • What safe and nicely I might well delay / By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn .
  • * John Locke
  • Domestics will pay a more cheerful service when they find themselves not spurned because fortune has laid them at their master's feet.
  • To reject something by pushing it away with the foot.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
  • To waste; fail to make the most of (an opportunity)
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=September 28 , author=Tom Rostance , title=Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Marouane Chamakh then spurned a great chance to kill the game off when he ran onto Andrey Arshavin's lofted through ball but shanked his shot horribly across the face of goal.}}
  • (obsolete) To kick or toss up the heels.
  • * Chaucer
  • The miller spurned at a stone.
  • * Gay
  • The drunken chairman in the kennel spurns .

    Derived terms

    * spurner

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of spurning; a scornful rejection.
  • A kick; a blow with the foot.
  • * Milton
  • What defence can properly be used in such a despicable encounter as this but either the slap or the spurn ?
  • (obsolete) Disdainful rejection; contemptuous treatment.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The insolence of office and the spurns / That patient merit of the unworthy takes.
  • A body of coal left to sustain an overhanging mass.
  • contempt

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete) * (obsolete)

    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.
  • Synonyms

    * See

    Antonyms

    * See

    Derived terms

    * contemptible * contempt of Congress * contempt of court * contempt of Parliament * contemptuous * familiarity breeds contempt