Containable Con·tain"a·ble adjective Capable of being contained or comprised. Boyle.
Containant Con·tain"ant noun A container.
Container Con·tain"er noun One who, or that which, contains.
Containment Con·tain"ment noun That which is contained; the extent; the substance. [ Obsolete]
The containment of a rich man's estate.
Fuller.
Contaminable Con·tam"i·na·ble (kŏn*tăm"ĭ*nȧ*b'l)
adjective Capable of being contaminated.
Contaminate Con·tam"i·nate (kŏn*tăm"ĭ*nāt)
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Contaminated ;
present participle & verbal noun Contaminating .] [ Latin
contaminatus , past participle of
contaminare to bring into contact, to contaminate, from
contamen contagion, for
contagmen ;
con- + root of
tangere to touch. See
Contact .]
To soil, stain, or corrupt by contact; to tarnish; to sully; to taint; to pollute; to defile. Shall we now
Contaminate our figures with base bribes?
Shak.
I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated .
Goldsmith.
Syn. -- To pollute; defile; sully; taint; tarnish; soil; stain; corrupt.
Contaminate Con·tam"i·nate (-nat)
adjective Contaminated; defiled; polluted; tainted. "
Contaminate drink."
Daniel.
Contamination Con·tam`i·na"tion (kŏn*tăm`ĭ*nā"shŭn)
noun [ Latin
contaminatio .]
The act or process of contaminating; pollution; defilement; taint; also, that which contaminates.
Contamitive Con·tam"i·tive (kŏn*tăm"ĭ*nȧ*tĭv)
adjective Tending or liable to contaminate.
Contango Con·tan"go (kŏn*tăn"go)
noun ;
plural Contangoes . [ Prob. a corruption of
contingent .]
1. (Stock Exchange) The premium or interest paid by the buyer to the seller, to be allowed to defer paying for the stock purchased until the next fortnightly settlement day. [ Eng.]
2. (Law) The postponement of payment by the buyer of stock on the payment of a premium to the seller. See Backwardation . N. Biddle.
Conte Conte noun ; plural
Contes . [ French]
A short narrative or tale, esp. one dealing with surprising or marvelous events. The conte (sic) is a tale something more than a sketch, it may be, and something less than a short story. . . . The "Canterbury Tales" are contes , most of them, if not all, and so are some of the "Tales of a Wayside Inn."
Brander Matthews.
Contection Con·tec"tion (-tĕk"shŭn)
noun [ Latin
contegere ,
-tectum , to cover up.]
A covering. [ Obsolete]
Sir T. Browne.
Contek Con"tek (kŏn"tĕk)
noun [ Middle English
conteck ,
conteke ,
contake , perhaps a corruption either of
contact or
contest .]
1. Quarrel; contention; contest. [ Obsolete]
Contek with bloody knife.
Chaucer.
2. Contumely; reproach. [ Obsolete]
Wyclif.
Contemn Con·temn" (kŏn*tĕm")
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Contemned (- tĕmd);
present participle & verbal noun Contemning (-tĕm"nĭng
or -tĕm"ĭng).] [ Latin
contemnere ,
-temptum ;
con- +
temnere to slight, despise: confer Old French
contemner .]
To view or treat with contempt, as mean and despicable; to reject with disdain; to despise; to scorn. Thy pompous delicacies I contemn .
Milton.
One who contemned divine and human laws.
Dryden.
Syn. -- To despise; scorn; disdain; spurn; slight; neglect; underrate; overlook. -- To
Contemn ,
Despise ,
Scorn ,
Disdain .
Contemn is the generic term, and is applied especially to objects, qualities, etc., which are deemed contemptible, and but rarely to individuals; to
despise is to regard or treat as mean, unbecoming, or worthless; to
scorn is stronger, expressing a quick, indignant contempt;
disdain is still stronger, denoting either unwarrantable pride and haughtiness or an abhorrence of what is base.
Contemner Con·tem"ner (kŏn*tĕm"nẽr
or -tĕm"ẽr)
noun One who contemns; a despiser; a scorner. "
Contemners of the gods."
South.
Contemningly Con·tem"ning·ly adverb Contemptuously. [ R.]
Contemper Con·tem"per (kŏn*tĕm"pẽr)
transitive verb [ Latin
contemperare ,
- temperatum ;
con- +
temperare to temper. Confer
Contemperate .]
To modify or temper; to allay; to qualify; to moderate; to soften. [ Obsolete]
The antidotes . . . have allayed its bitterness and contempered its malignancy.
Johnson.
Contemperate Con·tem"per·ate (kŏn*tĕm"pẽr*āt)
transitive verb [ See
Contemper .]
To temper; to moderate. [ Obsolete]
Moisten and contemperate the air.
Sir T. Browne.
Contemperation Con·tem`per·a"tion (-ā"shŭn)
noun 1. The act of tempering or moderating. [ Obsolete]
Sir T. Browne. 2. Proportionate mixture or combination. "
Contemperation of light and shade."
Boyle.
Contemperature Con·tem"per·a·ture (- tĕm"pẽr*ȧ*tur; 135)
noun The condition of being tempered; proportionate mixture; temperature. [ Obsolete]
The different contemperature of the elements.
South.
Contemplance Con·tem"plance noun Contemplation. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Contemplant Con·tem"plant adjective [ Latin
contemplans , present participle]
Given to contemplation; meditative. [ R.]
Coleridge.
Contemplate Con"tem·plate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Contemplated (# or #);
present participle & verbal noun Contemplating .] [ Latin
contemplatus , past participle of
contemplari to contemplate;
con- +
templum a space for observation marked out by the augur. See
Temple .]
1. To look at on all sides or in all its bearings; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study. To love, at least contemplate and admire,
What I see excellent.
Milton.
We thus dilate
Our spirits to the size of that they contemplate .
Byron.
2. To consider or have in view, as contingent or probable; to look forward to; to purpose; to intend. There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions.
A. Hamilton.
If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war.
Kent.
Syn. -- To view; behold; study; ponder; muse; meditate on; reflect on; consider; intend; design; plan; propose; purpose. See
Meditate .
Contemplate Con"tem·plate intransitive verb To consider or think studiously; to ponder; to reflect; to muse; to meditate. So many hours must I contemplate .
Shak.
Contemplation Con`tem·pla"tion noun [ French
contemplation , Latin
contemplatio .]
1. The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study. In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God.
Milton.
Contemplation is keeping the idea which is brought into the mind for some time actually in view.
Locke.
2. Holy meditation. [ Obsolete]
To live in prayer and contemplation .
Shak.
3. The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing. In contemplation of returning at an early date, he left.
Reid.
To have in contemplation ,
to inted or purpose, or to have under consideration.
Contemplatist Con·tem"pla·tist noun A contemplator. [ R.]
I. Taylor.
Contemplative Con·tem"pla·tive adjective [ French
contemplatif , Latin
contemplativus .]
1. Pertaining to contemplation; addicted to, or employed in, contemplation; meditative. Fixed and contemplative their looks.
Denham.
2. Having the power of contemplation; as, contemplative faculties. Ray.
Contemplative Con·tem"pla·tive noun (R. C. Ch.) A religious or either sex devoted to prayer and meditation, rather than to active works of charity.
Contemplatively Con·tem"pla·tive·ly adverb With contemplation; in a contemplative manner.
Contemplativeness Con·tem"pla·tive·ness noun The state of being contemplative; thoughtfulness.
Contemplator Con"tem·pla`tor noun [ Latin ]
One who contemplates. Sir T. Browne.
Contemporaneity Con·tem`po·ra·ne"i·ty noun The state of being contemporaneous. The lines of contemporaneity in the oölitic system.
J. Philips.
Contemporaneous Con·tem`po·ra"ne·ous adjective [ Latin
contemporaneus ;
con- +
tempus time. See
Temporal , and confer
Contemporaneous .]
Living, existing, or occurring at the same time; contemporary. The great age of Jewish philosophy, that of Aben Esra, Maimonides, and Kimchi, had been contemporaneous with the later Spanish school of Arabic philosophy.
Milman
--
Con*tem`po*ra"ne*ous*ness ,
noun
Contemporaneously Con·tem`po·ra"ne·ous·ly adverb At the same time with some other event.
Contemporariness Con·tem"po·ra·ri·ness noun Existence at the same time; contemporaneousness. Howell.
Contemporary Con·tem"po·ra·ry adjective [ Prefix
con- + Latin
temporarius of belonging to time,
tempus time. See
Temporal , and confer
Contemporaneous .]
1. Living, occuring, or existing, at the same time; done in, or belonging to, the same times; contemporaneous. This king [ Henry VIII.] was contemporary with the greatest monarchs of Europe.
Strype.
2. Of the same age; coeval. A grove born with himself he sees,
And loves his old contemporary trees.
Cowley.
Contemporary Con·tem"po·ra·ry noun ;
plural Contemporaries One who lives at the same time with another; as, Petrarch and Chaucer were contemporaries .
Contempt Con·tempt" noun [ Latin
contemptus , from
contemnere : confer Old French
contempt . See
Contemn .]
1. The act of contemning or despising; the feeling with which one regards that which is esteemed mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn. Criminal contempt of public feeling.
Macaulay.
Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great.
Addison.
2. The state of being despised; disgrace; shame. Contempt and begarry hangs upon thy back.
Shak.
3. An act or expression denoting contempt. Little insults and contempts .
Spectator.
The contempt and anger of his lip.
Shak.
4. (Law) Disobedience of the rules, orders, or process of a court of justice, or of rules or orders of a legislative body; disorderly, contemptuous, or insolent language or behavior in presence of a court, tending to disturb its proceedings, or impair the respect due to its authority. »
Contempt is in some jurisdictions extended so as to include publications reflecting injuriously on a court of justice, or commenting unfairly on pending proceedings; in other jurisdictions the courts are prohibited by statute or by the constitution from thus exercising this process.
Syn. -- Disdain; scorn; derision; mockery; contumely; neglect; disregard; slight.
Contemptibility Con·tempt`i·bil"i·ty noun The quality of being contemptible; contemptibleness. Speed.
Contemptible Con·tempt"i·ble adjective 1. Worthy of contempt; deserving of scorn or disdain; mean; vile; despicable. Milton. The arguments of tyranny are as contemptible as its force is dreadful.
Burke.
2. Despised; scorned; neglected; abject. Locke. 3. Insolent; scornful; contemptuous. [ Obsolete]
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.
Contemptibleness Con·tempt"i·ble·ness noun The state or quality of being contemptible, or of being despised.
Contemptibly Con·tempt"i·bly adverb In a contemptible manner.
Contemptuous Con·temp"tu·ous adjective 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; a
contemptible 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 .
Contemptuously Con·temp"tu·ous·ly adverb In a contemptuous manner; with scorn or disdain; despitefully. The apostles and most eminent Christians were poor, and used contemptuously .
Jer. Taylor.
Contemptuousness Con·temp"tu·ous·ness noun Disposition to or manifestion of contempt; insolence; haughtiness.
Contend Con·tend" intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Contended ;
present participle & verbal noun Contending .] [ Old French
contendre , Latin
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.
3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue. The question which our author would contend for.
Locke.
Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.
Dr. H. More.
Syn. -- To struggle; fight; combat; vie; strive; oppose; emulate; contest; litigate; dispute; debate.
Contend Con·tend" transitive verb To struggle for; to contest. [ R.]
Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.Dryden.
Contendent Con·tend"ent noun [ Latin
contendens , present participle]
An antagonist; a contestant. [ Obsolete]
In all notable changes and revolutions the contendents have been still made a prey to the third party.
L'Estrange.
Contender Con·tend"er noun One who contends; a contestant.
Contendress Con·tend"ress noun A female contestant. [ R.]