Lewis & Short

2. contemptus (-temt-), ūs, m. [contemno], a despising, contemning; contempt, scorn (first freq. since the Aug. per., but esp. so in Quint.; perh. never in Cic., for in Sen. Tranq. 11, 4, prob. the thought only is Ciceronian).

  1. I. Act., a despising: (naribus labrisque) derisus, contemptus, fastidium significari solet, Quint. 11, 3, 80: pecuniae, id. 7, 2, 30: operis, id. 2, 4, 16: operis et hominum, id. 11, 3, 136: opinionis, id. 12, 1, 12: doloris, id. 12, 2, 30 et saep.: ambitionis, Tac. A. 6, 45: famae, id. ib. 4, 38 fin.; cf.: omnis infamiae, Suet. Ner. 39: sui alienique, Tac. Or. 29: sui, Suet. Vit. 14.
    Plur.: hunc superbum apparatumsequebantur contemptus omnium hominum, Liv. 24, 5, 5.
  2. II. Pass., a being despised: turpis enim ferme contemptus et acris egestas, Lucr. 3, 65: atque ego contemptūs essem patientior hujus, etc., Ov. M. 13, 859: contemptu inter socios nomen Romanum laborare, Liv. 6, 2, 4; cf. Quint. 12, 8, 14: si contemptum ex humilitate tulerit, id. 5, 14, 30; Ov. M. 2, 527 al.
    In plur., Lucr. 5, 831 and 1277.
    1. B. Transf., an object of contempt, in phrase contemptui esse or habere, to despise: plerumque hominibus Gallis prae magnitudine corporum suorum brevitas nostra contemptui est, is despised, Caes. B. G. 2, 30: eviluit, ut contemptui esset, Suet. Claud. 15: ceteras (caerimonias) contemptui habuit, id. Aug. 93 init.