If she should make tender of her love, 't is very possible he 'll scorn it; for the man . . . hath a contemptible spirit.
Shak.
Syn. -- Despicable; abject; vile; mean; base; paltry; worthless; sorry; pitiful; scurrile. See Contemptuous. -- Contemptible, Despicable, Pitiful, Paltry. Despicable is stronger than contemptible, as despise is stronger than contemn. It implies keen disapprobation, with a mixture of anger. A man is despicable chiefly for low actions which mark his life, such as servility, baseness, or mean adulation. A man is contemptible for mean qualities which distinguish his character, especially those which show him to be weak, foolish, or worthless. Treachery is despicable, egotism is contemptible. Pitiful and paltry are applied to cases which are beneath anger, and are simply contemptible in a high degree.
Con*tempt"i*ble*ness, n. The state or quality of being contemptible, or of being despised.
Con*tempt"i*bly, adv. In a contemptible manner.
Con*temp"tu*ous (?; 135), a. Manifesting or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; haughty; insolent; disdainful.
A proud, contemptuous behavior.
Hammond.
Savage invective and contemptuous sarcasm.
Macaulay.
Rome . . . entertained the most contemptuous opinion of the Jews.
Atterbury.
Syn. -- Scornful; insolent; haughty; disdainful; supercilious; insulting; contumelious. -- Contemptuous, Contemptible. These words, from their similarity of sound, are sometimes erroneously interchanged, as when a person speaks of having "a very contemptible opinion of another." Contemptible is applied to that which is the object of contempt; as, contemptible conduct; acontemptible fellow. Contemptuous is applied to that which indicates contempt; as, a contemptuous look; a contemptuous remark; contemptuous treatment. A person, or whatever is personal, as an action, an expression, a feeling, an opinion, may be either contemptuous or contemptible; a thing may be contemptible, but can not be contemptuous.
Con*temp"tu*ous*ly, adv. In a contemptuous manner; with scorn or disdain; despitefully.
The apostles and most eminent Christians were poor, and used contemptuously.
Jer. Taylor.
Con*temp"tu*ous*ness, n. Disposition to or manifestion of contempt; insolence; haughtiness.
Con*tend" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Contended; p. pr. & vb. n. Contending.] [OF. contendre, L. contendere, -tentum; con- + tendere to strech. See Tend.] 1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
For never two such kingdoms did contend
Without much fall of blood.
Shak.
The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
Deut. ii. 9.
In ambitious strength I did
Contend against thy valor.
Shak.
2. To struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
You sit above, and see vain men below
Contend for what you only can bestow.
Dryden.