scorn English · revision 997

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /skɔːn/ ''(UK)''; /skɔɹn/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|scorn]], ''scarn'', [[bor|fro|escarn|t=mockery, derision]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with the verb [[bor|fro|escharnir|t=to mock]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) of Germanic origin,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) related to Old High German ''skern'' “jest, mockery”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) Barnhart and Weekley think the vowel was later influenced by Old French ''escorner'' “to insult”, literally “to dehorn”, from Latin ''cornū'' “horn”;^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the OED rejects this.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Mockery, derision, contempt (c. 1200);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) as a verb, “to slander” (c. 1150) or “to behave contemptuously” (c. 1200).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English ''scorn'' meant both mocking speech and the feeling of contempt;^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) in modern use the noun denotes indignant or passionate contempt.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) The verb passed from “to mock, deride” (before 1225), now obsolete, to “to hold in disdain, to despise” (before 1275)^(OED 1989) and “to disdain to do something” (1605).^(OED 1989) The phrase ''to laugh to scorn'' dates from about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1150 – verb, to slander (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1200 – noun, mockery, contempt.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1275 – verb, to despise.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – ''to laugh to scorn''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1350 – ''scornful''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1605 – verb, to disdain to do something.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Contempt or disdain for someone or something regarded as unworthy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The expression of such contempt; [[derision]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An object of contempt or derision.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To consider or treat as contemptible or unworthy; to [[despise]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To reject or refuse with contempt, as in ''she scorned my help''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To express contempt; to [[scoff]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[scorner]]

+ * [[scornful]]

+ * [[scornfully]]

+ * [[scornfulness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contempt]]

+ * [[disdain]]

+ * [[scoff]]

+ * [[derision]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}