Also, when referring to laughter or a smile, it is "bitter, scornful, mocking". The Navy responded immediately with scornful public mocking of the effort. Her scornful refusal provokes him into a rage and he becomes violent. An insult is an expression or statement (or sometimes behavior) which is disrespectful or scornful. Noted Han historian Sima Qian was scornful of such practices, dismissing them as foolish trickery. Throughout his reign, King Tullus had a scornful attitude towards religion. The catalogue accompanying this exhibition described this unusual title as "righteously scornful". Russian commentators had turned scornful of the Ethiopian regime. Admission, registration and interrogation of the detainees was accompanied by scornful remarks from SS officials. He was scornful of the new school of Realist painters led by Gustave Courbet. Levett was scornful of the motives of the mercenaries. He was scornful of Ptolemy and others who held that the world was spherical. The company acted the Fletcher/Beaumont play "The Scornful Lady" instead. She is scornful of his career choice. An argument breaks out between the sisters, Charlotte being scornful of Marie's love for Stolzius.