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contumely

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.04 sec.
con·tu·me·ly  (knt-m-l, -ty-, -tm-l)
n. pl. con·tu·me·lies
1. Rudeness or contempt arising from arrogance; insolence.
2. An insolent or arrogant remark or act.

[Middle English contumelie, from Old French, from Latin contumlia; akin to contumx, insolent.]

contu·meli·ous (knt-ml-s) adj.
contu·meli·ous·ly adv.

contumely [kon-tume-mill-ee]
Noun
pl -lies Literary
1. scornful or insulting treatment
2. a humiliating insult [Latin contumelia]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.contumelycontumely - a rude expression intended to offend or hurt; "when a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse"; "they yelled insults at the visiting team"
discourtesy, disrespect - an expression of lack of respect
low blow - unscrupulous abuse
billingsgate, scurrility - foul-mouthed or obscene abuse
stinger, cut - a remark capable of wounding mentally; "the unkindest cut of all"
invective, vituperation, vitriol - abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
And as the contumely is greater towards God, so the danger is greater towards men.
Some of the very peasants who had been most active in wrangling with him over the hay, some whom he had treated with contumely, and who had tried to cheat him, those very peasants had greeted him goodhumoredly, and evidently had not, were incapable of having any feeling of rancor against him, any regret, any recollection even of having tried to deceive him.
Of an impulsive and passionate nature, she had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely, wreaking itself in every variety of insult; but there was a quality so much more terrible in the solemn mood of the popular mind, that she longed rather to behold all those rigid countenances contorted with scornful merriment, and herself the object.
 
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