contumelious

comparative more contumelious · superlative most contumelious

1. archaicliteraryRudely contemptuous; showing contumely; exhibiting an insolent or disdainful attitude.

   "How now, you scullions and cullions: bring hither a pair of cow's hooves to out face this contumelious caitiff."

   1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 44

   4 more examples

   VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vi], page 100, column 1

   To sin against his law, is an high affront to his majesty; but to sin against his love and benefits is more contumelious to him.

   a. 1699, William Bates, “The Danger of Prosperity”, in The Whole Works of the Rev. W. Bates, Volume 2, published 1815, page 262

   Such, and more contumelious, was the language of opposition in parliament, and of the pretended patriots in their private meetings, during the whole administration of sir Robert Walpole, who understood and pursued the true interests of his country, but, perhaps, without sufficiently attending to its honour.

   1784, William Russell, The History of Modern Europe, in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to His Son, new edition, volume 5, published 1822, page 104

   The pad would not stay on Modestine’s back for half a moment. I returned it to its maker, with whom I had so contumelious a passage that the street outside was crowded from wall to wall with gossips looking on and listening.

   1879, Robert Louis Stevenson, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes, 1st American edition, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC

   Synonyms: disdainful, insolent