Meaning
regard with contempt; consider inferior
Primary Function
phrasal-prepositional verb of disdain
Communicative Purpose
criticizing attitudes, describing social snobbery
Pattern
look down on
Core Structure
look down on
Função primária
phrasal-prepositional verb of disdain
Propósito comunicativo
criticizing attitudes, describing social snobbery
Situações de gatilho
social class discussions, workplace hierarchy, advice-giving scenarios
Contextos
everyday conversation, sociology analysis, editorial commentary
Padrão
look down on
Estrutura central
look down on
Slots de substituição
someone; people without degrees; manual workers
Colocados típicos
- tend to be looked down upon
- never respected by those in higher positions
Substituições comuns
- despise
- scorn
- sneer at
Erros comuns
'She looks down someone' – missing the preposition ‘on’
Similar / contraste
look up to (respect), talk down to (patronize)
Interferências
literal meaning of ‘look down’ is physical movement; metaphorical use requires the particle ‘on’
Família do chunk
- down-looking (rare)
Nuance
conveys a negative judgmental evaluation rather than neutral comparison
Efeito pragmático
signals criticism or disdain toward perceived social inferiors
Dica de memória
condescending attitude
Nota
This chunk is used to express disdain or contempt towards a group or individual perceived as inferior.
Upgrade path
look down one’s nose at
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