despicableadj.
/ˈdɛspɪkəb(ə)l/ 1. † b. Miserable, wretched. Obsolete.
a. To be looked down upon or despised; vile, base, contemptible.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adjective] > contemptible
unworthc893
unwrastc893
littleOE
narrow-hearteda1200
wretcha1200
unworthya1240
wretchedc1250
un-i-wrastc1275
bad1276
lechera1300
feeblea1325
despisablea1340
villain1340
contemptiblec1384
lousyc1386
caitiff1393
brothelyc1400
roinousa1425
poor1425
sevenpennyc1475
nasty1477
peakish1519
filthy1533
despectuous1541
beggary1542
scald1542
shitten?1545
disdainfula1547
contemptuous1549
despicable1553
skit-brained?1553
contemniblea1555
vile1560
sluttish1561
queer1567
scornful1570
scallardc1575
tinkerly?1576
worthless1576
beggarly?1577
paltry1578
halfpenny1579
dog bolt1580
pitiful1582
sneaking1582
triobolar1585
wormisha1586
baddy1586
dudgeon1592
measled1596
packstaff1598
roguey1598
roguish1601
contemptful1608
grovelling1608
lightly1608
disdainable1611
purulent1611
snotty-nose1622
vilipendious1630
cittern-headed1638
wormy1640
pissabed1643
triobolary1644
disparageable1648
blue-bellied1652
unestimable1656
scullion1658
piteous1667
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
snotty1681
snotty-nosed1682
mucky1683
bollocky1694
scoundrel1700
scaldeda1704
sneaking1703
ficulnean1716
unsolid1731
pitiable1753
scrubby1754
inimitable1798
scrubbish1798
worm-likea1807
small1824
lowlife1827
ketty1828
skunkish1831
yellow-bellied1833
scaly1843
cockroachya1845
wutless1853
nigger1859
trashy1862
low-down1872
cruddy1877
shitty1879
tinhorn1886
blithering1889
motherfucking1890
snidey1890
pilgarlicky1894
shitass1895
shoddy1918
yah boo1921
bitching1929
shit-faced1932
turdish1936
fricking1937
jerk-off1937
chickenshit1940
sheg-up1941
snot-nosed1941
jerky1944
mother-loving1948
scroungy1948
fecking1952
pissant1952
shit-kicking1953
shit-eating1956
bumboclaat1957
rassclaat1957
shit-headed1959
farkakte1960
shithouse1966
daggy1967
dipshit1968
scuzzy1969
bloodclaat1971
bitch ass1972
wanky1972
streelish1974
twatty1975
twattish1976
dweeby1988
douchey1991
wank1991
cockish1996
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Biiij The byldinge[s] are despicable.
1553 Eden Newe Ind. (Arb.) 35 All thinges with them are despicable and vile.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost xi. 340 All th' Earth he gave thee to possess and rule, No despicable gift. View more context for this quotation
1699 W. Dampier Voy. & Descr. i. viii. 162 Their insolent masters the Portuguese: than whom there are not a more despicable people now in all the Eastern Nations.
1710 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 20 July (1965) I. 45 There is hardly a character in the World more Despicable or more liable to universal ridicule than that of a Learned Woman.
1782 T. Vaughan Fashionable Follies (new ed.) II. 103 A little despicable looking house honoured with the name of an inn.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 164 The most despicable of fanatics.
1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People viii. §2. 473 The immorality of James's Court was hardly more despicable than the imbecility of his government.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > miserable or wretched
un-i-selieOE
drearyOE
unseelyOE
wretcha1122
usellc1175
unselea1200
wretcheda1200
misease?c1225
un-i-sele?c1250
wanlichec1275
miseasyc1300
wrackfulc1311
unblessed1340
wretchfula1382
wretchedful1382
caitiff1393
loddera1400
unhappena1400
pilledc1400
miserable?c1422
vengeablec1430
unhappyc1440
meschant?1473
miserousc1475
unselc1480
miser1542
forlorn1582
villainous1582
skybala1585
unblestful1608
despicable1635
haveless1868
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > wretchedness > [adjective]
unledeeOE
sorryOE
evila1131
usellc1175
wanlichec1275
bad1276
sorry1372
meana1375
caitiff1393
loddera1400
woefula1400
foulc1400
wretched1450
meschant?1473
unselc1480
peevisha1522
miser1542
scurvy?1577
forlorn1582
villainous1582
measled1596
lamented1611
thrallfula1618
despicable1635
deplorable1642
so-and-so1656
poorish1657
squalida1660
lamentable1676
mesquina1706
shan1714
execrable1738
quisby1807
hole in the wall1822
measly1847
bum1878
shag-bag1888
snidey1890
pathetic1900
1635 E. Pagitt Christianographie 217 These poore despicable wretches have hardly sustenance to keepe life and soule together.
1668 J. Child Brief Observ. Trade 9 The people are poor and despicable, their Persons ill cloathed.
a1704 T. Brown Declam. Praise Wealth in Wks. (1707) I. i. 123 Despicable in Circumstance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > [adjective] > contemptuous
ollinga1200
hokerfula1275
scorningc1325
deignousc1330
despitousa1340
disdainousc1374
lightlya1400
scornfula1400
despiteous14..
endeignousc1400
hathlya1425
spitefulc1440
despitefula1450
fastidious?a1475
contemptuous1534
disdainfula1542
huff-nosed1542
lightliful1552
dainful1577
contemptible1594
sdeignful1596
disdained1598
contemptful1604
contemning1605
overlookinga1619
slight1632
slightinga1637
slightya1640
despisable1644
despicable1662
sneering1692
scornful1704
saucy1716
vilipendinga1722
fastidiose1730
unappreciating1833
scorny1836
high-sniffing1837
sniffy1871
sneery1872
sneerful1880
pejorativea1888
dismissive1930
sniffish1933
fuck you1962
1662 H. Stubbe Indian Nectar Pref. sig. A4 I have a very despicable opinion of the present age.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. ii. viii. 160 The Comparison gave me so despicable a Conceit of my self.
1728 H. Fielding Love in Several Masques ii. xi. 26 To persuade us into so despicable an Opinion of your Reason.
1759 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful (ed. 2) ii. §5. 116 Though we caress dogs, we borrow from them an appellation of the most despicable kind.
1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 7 Distinguished..by the despicable appellative, Tied Arse.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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