I was looking up the definition for [舐]{な}める and "underestimate" was one of
them. However, "underestimate" can be both stative or dynamic, so I looked up
the Japanese definition and got this:

> 人を馬鹿にして無礼な態度をとる。あなどる。

While とる is certainly a dynamic verb, I am not quite certain if [侮]{あなど}る is
one as well. Looking up the Japanese definition for 侮る leads me to an endless
cycle of the following words.

  * 見くびる
  * [軽蔑]{けいべつ}する
  * [見]{み}[下]{くだ}す
  * [見]{み}[下]{お}ろす
  * 見なす
  * 甘く見る 
  * ばかにする

While the Japanese definitions of 軽蔑する and 見なす make them seem dynamic, example
sentences make them seem stative.

> 私達は、その計画を価値あるものと見なす。
>
> We think of the plan as of value.
>
> ([on
> jisho.org](http://classic.jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E8%A6%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%81%99))

and

> 彼は社会的地位の低い人を軽蔑する。
>
> He despises people of a lower social class.
>
> ([on
> jisho.org](http://classic.jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E8%BB%BD%E8%94%91%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B))

This is further complicated by how I am not sure of what 馬鹿にする means anymore.
At first I thought it merely meant "to make fun of someone" but on further
inspection, にする can mean "to feel A about B" and makes expressions such as
大切にする stative. For example:

> 一郎は利益よりも友情を大切にする

[jisho.org](http://classic.jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%87%E3%81%ABsuru)
has got this translation:

> Ichiro puts friendship above profit.

Now I wonder if 馬鹿にする can mean to merely regard someone as stupid and not that
you actively go to make fun of them.
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words
Is [舐]{な}める a stative verb?
Aspects in Japanese are complicated. I think there are some concepts at play
here which haven't been mentioned. (The below grammaticality assessments are
mine.)

  1. The tendency to (ability to) use dictionary forms for 1st person, where ている/でいる must be used for 3rd person for some thought/speech verbs, e.g. 私は思う but 彼は思っている. I think the same thing is going on for みなす here.

    * 私達は、その計画を価値あるものと見なす。 
    * 私達は、その計画を価値あるものと見なしている。 
    * ?? 彼は、その計画を価値あるものと見なす。 
    * 彼は、その計画を価値あるものと見なしている。

      2. The habitual use of the dictionary form. Here it works because 会的地位の低い人 is plural and can be viewed as a stream of people which "he" habitually looks down upon.
    * 彼は社会的地位の低い人を軽蔑する。 

    * 彼は社会的地位の低い人を軽蔑している。 
    * ?? 彼は母を軽蔑する。 
    * 彼は母を軽蔑している。
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# Meaning-wise

Considering only what a verb means to determine whether it is stative can be
somewhat subjective. If we go purely by the semantics, we find as you
mentioned the following explanation for the relevant sense:

> 馬鹿にする。甘くみる。みくびる。あなどる。

As this suggests, `underestimate` does not convey the nuance of the verb very
well. Think of it like this:

> 彼をなめる ( _dynamic_ -like): to view/take him lightly, to treat him like a
> fool, to disparage him, to make light of him, to look down on him
>
> ＡはＢをなめている ( _stative_ -like): A is taking B lightly, A underestimates be

And its more dynamic nature becomes easier to see. In the 〜ている form, it is
more stative-like. The [zokugo](http://zokugo-dict.com/21na/nameru.htm)
dictionary contains the following explanation

> なめるとは相手やある物事を馬鹿にしたり、みくびったり、軽んじる、蔑むといった **行為** で、戦国時代には既にこうした意味で使われている。

Here we see that the verb usually involves people doing something that could
be regarded as them taking something lightly. This makes sense if we consider
this an extended meaning of `to lick`.

Now if we use it in an actual sentences such as

> 敗戦国民として、われわれは彼らに嘗められているんです

The plain form is not used here as a predicate for a sentence expressing a
current action. This is as close to a state as you can get, but (a) it still
carries a nuance of them doing something (that makes it seem to us they are
taking us lightly); and (b) it needs the passive and 〜ている form for it. As
illustrated above, it does not express a state in its plain form.

He we see it is helpful to take a look at the differences in how stative and
dynamic verbs are used.

# Aspect-wise, classification by 金田一春彦

In (some) analyses of English stative verbs, stative verbs do not take the
continous aspect (ｘJohn is knowing the answer.)

Paralleling this distinction based upon aspect, there is a classification by
金田一春彦【きんだいちはるひこ】 from his article 国語動詞の一分類 (1950) in [the journal
言語研究第15号](https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/gengo1939/1950/15/_contents)
([link to
pdf](https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/gengo1939/1950/15/1950_48/_pdf)),
which is explained for example here: [金田一の日本語動詞分類
1](http://amigo.hum.fukuoka-u.ac.jp/koga/index.php?blog/2009_11_27) and
[金田一の日本語動詞分類
2](http://amigo.hum.fukuoka-u.ac.jp/koga/index.php?blog/2010_04_05). Note that
dynamic (動作動詞) verbs include punctual and durative verbs.

  * durative (継続): 〜ている is used for a current action or completed action: 遊んでいる, ｘ子供は今公園で遊ぶ
  * punctual (瞬間): 〜ている can only mean that the action is completed: (もう・すでに)死んでいる
  * static/stative (状態): continous form 〜ている often not possible, plain form is used for a current action: 猫がいる, ｘ居ている
  * 4th type (第四種): current action expressed by 〜ている, attributive form uses 〜た without expressing a past sense: 話はありふれている, ありふれた話 (this does not imply everybody already forgot about it)

Note that the plain form of durative verbs is used as well, of course. Try to
compare a present situation, however, when the action/state is taking place
presently.

>   * 子供は今公園にいる
>   * 子供は今公園で遊んでいる
>

Instantaneous:

>   * 俺さまをなめてんのか？ → This means that he underestimates (=currently is
> underestimating) the speaker, not that he's done with it. → not
> instantaneous verb
>   * (もう・すでに)なめている → This could be `is already underestimating`, but not a
> finished action such as もう死んでいる. → not instantaneous verb
>

Stative:

>   * (お前は)(今)俺をなめる。 → This would not be used by somebody currently facing
> another person. → not stative verb
>   * 俺をなめている。 → The _-te-iru_ form is possible. → probably not stative verb
>

4th type:

>   * あんたをなめた俺 → At most this would refer to the past. → not of 4th type
>

[Another test involves](https://books.google.de/books?id=l-C4H2sBJlEC&pg=PA60)
testing whether we add the auxilaries -はじめる, expressing the start of an
action. In 金田一春彦's article we find

> 「終る」という語と「始める」という語は継続動詞のみにつく。

Compare dynamic/stative verbs:

>   * 話はじめるの
>   * 飴を舐めはじめる
>   * ｘ(運転)ができはじめる
>   * ｘ値しはじめる
>

How about 舐める is the sense of `underestimate`? Usages are rare and need some
context, but we can find some:

> **敵をなめはじめていた搭乗員たち** も、本気で取り組まざるをえなかつた。
>
> 田中光二, シドニー攻略, ISBN-13:9784059006077

or

> 最近 **運転をなめはじめていた気がする** から、初心を思い出せました。

or

> まさかの鬼畜ステージ登場!回復ばかりのゆとり使用かと思いきや…。凶悪配置地獄、スノボー面が姿を現しました。正直、
> **このゲームを舐めはじめていたところです** 。怖い怖い。

In English, you can use the plain form as in `I think that guy there
underestimates me.` and consider it a stative verb in this case. But in
Japanese that becomes 俺をなめている.

# Summary

Therefore I'd classify なめる as a dynamic verb. But perhaps its usage with
different forms such as 〜ている is a remnant of its original meaning, and
meaning-wise it is now often closer to a state.

As an exception, it could be regarded as being of `4th type` in なめたことを言う or
なめた真似をする.
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