a. Obs. Also 4–5 contimax, -ymax. [a. L. contumāx insolent, obstinate, showing contempt of court (also a technical word of criminal law in Fr.), f. con- prefix and -āx suffix (-ACIOUS); the radical part tum- is generally referred to tumē-re to swell, but some would connect it with tem-n-ĕre to despise.] = CONTUMACIOUS.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 328. Contimax is he þat þorugh his indignacioun is agains euerych auctorite … of hem þat been his souerayns.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 35. The Court is called, and yee are Contumax.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 248/1. Brynge hyder a bedde of yron that laurence contymax may lye theron.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 555. In the end … was that worthy Martyr decreed Contumax, that is, sturdily, frowardly, and wilfully absent.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 154. They shall be halden as contumax and censurit thairfore.
