Lewis & Short

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con-tŭmax, ācis, adj. [from the root tem, whence also temno; cf. contemno, and contumelia], insolent, unyielding, obstinate, stiff-necked, stubborn, contumacious.

  1. I. Prop.
    1. A. In gen. (freq. and in good prose): quis contum acior? quis inhumanior? quis superbior? Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 78, § 192: Sara in me contumax, id. Att. 15, 15, 2; cf.: adversus plebem, Suet. Tib. 2; and: populus regibus suis, Sen. Thyest. 644: reus (together with arrogans, securus), Quint. 6, 1, 14; cf. animus (with arrogantia oris), Tac. A. 5, 3: contumaces et mconsultae voces, id. ib. 4, 60: preces, id. ib. 2, 57: voltus, Curt. 4, 6, 24: epistula, Suet. Claud. 35: filii, Cod. Th. 8, 14, 1.
      Rarely in a good sense, unyielding, firm, steadfast: contumax etiam adversus tormenta servorum fides, Tac. H. 1, 3 (cf. contumacia).
      Poet.: Hispanis ego contumax capillis, Mart. 10, 65.
      Comp., v. supra.
      Sup.: Fortuna contumacissimum quemque aggreditur, Sen. Prov. 3, 4; id. Ep. 83, 21.
    2. B. Esp., jurid. t. t., that refuses to appear in a court of justice in obedience to a lawful summons: contumax est, qui … litteris evocatus, praesentiam, sui facere contemnet, Dig. 42, 1, 53, § 1 sqq.; cf. contumacia, I. B.
  2. II. Transf., of animals: boves, Col. 6, 2, 10: gallina ad concubitum, id. 8, 2, 8.
    Of inanimate things, not yielding, furnishing opposition: lima, Phaedr. 4, 7, 5: cardamum frianti, Plin. 12, 13, 29, § 50: syllaba, not fitting into measure, Mart. 9, 12.
    Hence, adv.: contŭmācĭter, obstinately, stubbornly, etc.: contumaciter, arroganter, ἀκοινωνήτως solet ad me scribere, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 7: contumaciter urbaneque vexatum, id. Q. Fr. 2, 1, 3: omnia agere, Liv. 2, 58, 7; Quint. 11, 3, 11 et saep.
    Comp., Nep. Cim. 2, 5.
    In a good sense (cf. contumax and contumacia), firmly, Sen. Ep. 13, 2; Quint. 6, prooem. § 15.
        1. b. Transf., of inanimate things: lapides scalpturae resistunt, Plin. 37, 7, 30, § 104; in comp., id. 19, 7, 35, § 117.