If sweet with bitter . . . were not attempered still. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To soften, mollify, or moderate; to soothe; to temper; as, to attemper rigid justice with clemency. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To mix in just proportion; to regulate; as, a mind well attempered with kindness and justice. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To accommodate; to make suitable; to adapt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arts . . . attempered to the lyre. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is now not much used, the verb temper taking its place. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hope must be . . . attemperate to the promise. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt. [ Obs. or Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It made the laughter of an afternoon
That Vivien should attempt the blameless king. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To try to win, subdue, or overcome; as, one who attempts the virtue of a woman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further:
Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force; as, to attempt the enemy's camp. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without attempting his adversary's life. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Try. [ 1913 Webster ]

By his blindness maimed for high attempts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Attempt to commit a crime (Law), such an intentional preparatory act as will apparently result, if not extrinsically hindered, in a crime which it was designed to effect. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Attempt, Endeavor, Effort, Exertion, Trial. These words agree in the idea of calling forth our powers into action. Trial is the generic term; it denotes a putting forth of one's powers with a view to determine what they can accomplish; as, to make trial of one's strength. An attempt is always directed to some definite and specific object; as, “The attempt, and not the deed, confounds us.” Shak. An endeavor is a continued attempt; as, “His high endeavor and his glad success.” Cowper. Effort is a specific putting forth of strength in order to carry out an attempt. Exertion is the putting forth or active exercise of any faculty or power. “It admits of all degrees of effort and even natural action without effort.” C. J. Smith. See Try. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assailant; also, a temper. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The antidotes . . . have allayed its bitterness and contempered its malignancy. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moisten and contemperate the air. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Proportionate mixture or combination. “Contemperation of light and shade.” Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The different contemperature of the elements. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

To love, at least contemplate and admire,
What I see excellent.
Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

We thus dilate
Our spirits to the size of that they contemplate.
Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To consider or have in view, as contingent or probable; to look forward to; to purpose; to intend. [ 1913 Webster ]

There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions. A. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war. Kent.

Syn. -- To view; behold; study; ponder; muse; meditate on; reflect on; consider; intend; design; plan; propose; purpose. See Meditate. [ 1913 Webster ]

So many hours must I contemplate. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contemplation is keeping the idea which is brought into the mind for some time actually in view. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Holy meditation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To live in prayer and contemplation. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing. [ 1913 Webster ]

In contemplation of returning at an early date, he left. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

To have in contemplation, to inted or purpose, or to have under consideration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fixed and contemplative their looks. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having the power of contemplation; as, contemplative faculties. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lines of contemporaneity in the oolitic system. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

The great age of Jewish philosophy, that of Aben Esra, Maimonides, and Kimchi, had been contemporaneous with the later Spanish school of Arabic philosophy. Milman

-- Con*tem`po*ra"ne*ous*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

This king [ Henry VIII. ] was contemporary with the greatest monarchs of Europe. Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of the same age; coeval. [ 1913 Webster ]

A grove born with himself he sees,
And loves his old contemporary trees. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a person of nearly the same age as another.
Syn. -- coeval. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Criminal contempt of public feeling. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being despised; disgrace; shame. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contempt and begarry hangs upon thy back. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An act or expression denoting contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Little insults and contempts. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

The contempt and anger of his lip. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) Disobedience of the rules, orders, or process of a court of justice, or of rules or orders of a legislative body; disorderly, contemptuous, or insolent language or behavior in presence of a court, tending to disturb its proceedings, or impair the respect due to its authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Contempt is in some jurisdictions extended so as to include publications reflecting injuriously on a court of justice, or commenting unfairly on pending proceedings; in other jurisdictions the courts are prohibited by statute or by the constitution from thus exercising this process.

Syn. -- Disdain; scorn; derision; mockery; contumely; neglect; disregard; slight. [ 1913 Webster ]

The arguments of tyranny are ascontemptible as its force is dreadful. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Despised; scorned; neglected; abject. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Insolent; scornful; contemptuous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If she should make tender of her love, 't is very possible he 'll scorn it; for the man . . . hath a contemptible spirit. Shak.

Syn. -- Despicable; abject; vile; mean; base; paltry; worthless; sorry; pitiful; scurrile. See Contemptuous. -- Contemptible, Despicable, Pitiful, Paltry. Despicable is stronger than contemptible, as despise is stronger than contemn. It implies keen disapprobation, with a mixture of anger. A man is despicable chiefly for low actions which mark his life, such as servility, baseness, or mean adulation. A man is contemptible for mean qualities which distinguish his character, especially those which show him to be weak, foolish, or worthless. Treachery is despicable, egotism is contemptible. Pitiful and paltry are applied to cases which are beneath anger, and are simply contemptible in a high degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

A proud, contemptuous behavior. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

Savage invective and contemptuous sarcasm. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rome . . . entertained the most contemptuous opinion of the Jews. Atterbury.

Syn. -- Scornful; insolent; haughty; disdainful; supercilious; insulting; contumelious. -- Contemptuous, Contemptible. These words, from their similarity of sound, are sometimes erroneously interchanged, as when a person speaks of having “a very contemptible opinion of another.” Contemptible is applied to that which is the object of contempt; as, contemptible conduct; acontemptible fellow. Contemptuous is applied to that which indicates contempt; as, a contemptuous look; a contemptuous remark; contemptuous treatment. A person, or whatever is personal, as an action, an expression, a feeling, an opinion, may be either contemptuous or contemptible; a thing may be contemptible, but can not be contemptuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

The apostles and most eminent Christians were poor, and used contemptuously. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this unhappy contretemps. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]