- To regard with contempt or scorn: despised all cowards and flatterers.
- To dislike intensely; loathe: despised the frigid weather in January.
- To regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern: despised any thought of their own safety.
[Middle English despisen, from Old French despire, despis-, from Latin dēspicere : dē-, de- + specere, to look.]
despisal de·spis'al (-spī'zəl) n.despiser de·spis'er n.
SYNONYMS despise, contemn, disdain, scorn, scout. These verbs mean to regard with utter contempt: despises incompetence; contemned the dictator's actions; disdained my suggestion; scorns sentimentality; scouted simplistic explanations.
ANTONYM esteem




