Etymology : Middle English, from Old English spurnan; akin to Old High German spurnan to kick, Latin spernere to spurn, Greek spairein to quiver
Pronunciation : 'sp&rn
Function : verb
Date : before 12th century
1. contemptuous rejection, denigrating attitude. reject, repel; treat with contempt. spurn\spurn\, n.
2. a kick; a blow with the foot. [r.] what defence can properly be used in such a despicable encounter as this but either the slap or the spurn?.
3. disdainful rejection; contemptuous tratment. the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes.
4. (mining) a body of coal left to sustain an overhanding mass.spurn \spurn\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. spurned ; p. pr. & vb. n. spurning.] [oe. spurnen to kick against, to stumble over, as. spurnan to kick, offend; akin to spura spur, os. & ohg. spurnan to kick, icel. spyrna, l. spernere to despise, skr. sphur to jerk, to push. ?171. see:
spur.].
5. to drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick. [the bird] with his foot will spurn adown his cup. i spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
6. to reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt. what safe and nicely i might well delay by rule of knighthood, i disdain and spurn. domestics will pay a more cheerful service when they find themselves not spurned because fortune has laid them at their master's feet.spurn \spurn\, v. i.
7. to kick or toss up the heels. the miller spurned at a stone. the drunken chairman in the kennel spurns.
8. to manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance. nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image.spurn reject with contempt; "she spurned his advances" [syn: reject, freeze off, scorn, pooh-pooh, disdain, turn down ].
9. To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick.
10. To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt.
11. To kick or toss up the heels.
12. To manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance.
13. A kick; a blow with the foot.
14. Disdainful rejection; contemptuous tratment.
15. A body of coal left to sustain an overhanding mass.
16. If you spurn someone or something, you reject them. He spurned the advice of management consultants a spurned lover. to refuse to accept something or someone, especially because you are too proud.