aspernor (wrongly ads-), ātus, 1, v. dep. a. [for ab-spernor, as as-pello for abpello, as-porto for ab-porto; cf. ab init.; Doed. Syn. II. p. 179, and Vanicek, p. 1182], lit., to cast off a person or thing (ab se spernari; cf. sperno and spernor); hence, to disdain, spurn, reject, despise (simply with the accessory idea of aversion = recuso, respuo, reicio, and opp. to appeto, concupisco; on the other hand, contemnere, not to fear, is opp. to metuere, timere; and despicere, not to value a thing, is opp. to revereri; cf. Doed. Syn. cited supra; class.; very freq. in Cic.; more rare in the poets): alicujus familiam, Ter. Phorm. 371 (aspernari = recusare, avertere, non agnoscere, Don.).
I Lit.: gustatus id, quod valde dulce est, aspernatur, Cic. de Or. 3, 25, 99: nemo bonus ... qui vos non oculis fugiat, auribus respuat, animo aspernetur, id. Pis. 20; so id. Fat. 20, 47: regem ut externum aspernari, Tac. A. 2, 1: matrem, id. ib. 4, 57: de pace legatos haud aspernatus, id. ib. 15, 27: hanc (proscriptionem) nisi hoc judicio a vobis reicitis et aspernamini, Cic. Rosc. Am. 53: voluptatem appetit, ut bonum: aspernatur dolorem, ut malum, id. Fin. 2, 10, 31; so, ut quodam ab hospite conditum oleum pro viridi adpositum, aspernantibus ceteris, solum etiam largius appetisse scribat, Suet. Caes. 53: si voluptatem aspernari ratione et sapientiā non possemus, Cic. Sen. 12, 42: querimonias alicujus aspernari, contemnere ac neglegere, id. Verr. 2, 4, 51: regis liberalitatem, id. Tusc. 5, 32, 91 al.; Sall. C. 3, 4: diis aspernantibus placamina irae, Liv. 7, 3: deditionem alicujus, id. 8, 2; 9, 41 et saep.: consilia, Tac. G. 8: sententiam, id. ib. 11: honorem, id. ib. 27: militiam, id. H. 2, 36: disciplinam, id. A. 1, 16: virtutem, id. ib. 13, 2: panem, Suet. Ner. 48 fin. : imperium, Curt. 10, 5, 13 et saep.: Interea cave sis nos aspernata sepultos, Prop. 3, 5, 25: aspernabantur ceteros, * Vulg. Luc. 18, 9: haud aspernanda precare, Verg. A. 11, 106; Phaedr. 5, 4, 4.—With inf. as object : illa refert vultu non aspernata rogari, Stat. S. 1, 2, 105: dare aspernabantur, Tac. A. 4, 46. —In Cic. once, to turn away , avert (not from one's self, but from something pertaining to one's self): furorem alicujus atque crudelitatem a suis aris atque templis, Clu. 68 fin. —
II Trop.: qui colore ipso patriam aspernaris, deny , Cic. Pis. 1.—☞ Pass. : qui habet, ultro appetitur; qui est pauper, aspernatur, is held in contempt , Cic. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 792 P.: regem ab omnibus aspernari, Auct. B. Afr. 93: aspernata potio, Arn. 5, p. 175.
III —Hence, aspernanter , adv. (qs. from the part. aspernans, which does not occur), with contempt , contemptuously : aliquid accipere, Amm. 31, 4; so Sid. Ep. 7, 2.— Comp. , Aug. Mus. 4, 9.— Sup. prob. not used.