Spite Definition
spīt
spited, spites, spiting
noun
spites
A mean or evil feeling toward another, characterized by the inclination to hurt, humiliate, annoy, frustrate, etc.; ill will; malice.
Webster's New World
An instance of this; a grudge.
Webster's New World
Something annoying or irritating.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
verb
spited, spites, spiting
To treat with spite; show spite toward.
American Heritage
To behave in a spiteful manner toward; vent one's spite upon by hurting, annoying, frustrating, etc.
Webster's New World
To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.
She soon married again, to spite her ex-husband.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
preposition
Notwithstanding; despite.
Wiktionary
idiom
in spite of
- Not stopped by; regardless of:
They kept going in spite of their fears.
American Heritage
in spite of
- in defiance of; regardless of; notwithstanding
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Spite
Origin of Spite
From a shortening of Middle English despit, from Old French despit (whence despite). Cf. also Dutch spijt.
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English short for despit despite
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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