But American translators took it as a firm rejection, based on the more common definition, "ignore, treat with silent contempt."

He treated the whole business with silent contempt.

They mean to destroy a plague ship, Koloth thought, regarding the younger officer with silent contempt.

I think we can treat them with silent contempt.

Murdock and Razor treated that with the silent contempt it deserved.

The old man treated this suggestion with silent contempt.

By the fifth day of the trial he was refusing to answer questions, silent contempt that was making the jury uneasy.

Irwin promptly ordered that he receive an additional 36 lashes for "silent contempt".

I think," he said, "that you can treat them with silent contempt.

Scott looked at him an instant with silent contempt.