scorn

Meaning

1. To feel or display contempt or disdain for something or somebody; to despise.
2. To reject, turn down.
3. To refuse to do something, as beneath oneself.
4. To scoff, to express contempt.

disdain

disparage

hold in contempt

treat with contempt

freeze off

jeer at

public insult

laugh coldly

view with contempt

ride rough-shod over

feel contempt for

domineer over

public defamation

beat back

think nothing of

abstain

drive back

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/skɔːn/

Verb from Middle English scornen, schornen, alteration of Old French escharnir, from Vulgar Latin *escarnire, from Proto-Germanic *skarnjan, which could be from *skeraną (“to shear”) (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”)), or possibly related to *skarną (“dung, filth”) (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱerd-, *(s)ḱer- (“dung, manure, filth”)). Noun from Old French escarn (cognate with Portuguese escárnio, Spanish escarnio and Italian scherno).