Nearby Words

spite

[spahyt] Origin

spite

[spahyt] noun, verb, spit·ed, spit·ing.
noun
1.
a malicious, usually petty, desire to harm, annoy, frustrate, or humiliate another person; bitter ill will; malice.
2.
a particular instance of such an attitude or action; grudge.
3.
Obsolete. something that causes vexation; annoyance.
verb (used with object)
4.
to treat with spite or malice.
5.
to annoy or thwart, out of spite.
6.
to fill with spite; vex; offend.

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Spite is one of our favorite verbs.
So is bowdlerise. Does it mean:
to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.
to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.
7.
cut off one's nose to spite one's face. nose (def. 23).
8.
in spite of, in disregard or defiance of; notwithstanding; despite: She arrived at school on time in spite of the snowstorm.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English; aphetic variant of despite

spite·less, adjective
un·spit·ed, adjective


1. malevolence, maliciousness, rancor, venom, spleen. See grudge. 7. See notwithstanding.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
spite (spaɪt)
 
n
1.  maliciousness involving the desire to harm another; venomous ill will
2.  an instance of such malice; grudge
3.  archaic something that induces vexation
4.  (preposition) in spite of in defiance of; regardless of; notwithstanding
 
vb
5.  to annoy in order to vent spite
6.  archaic to offend
 
[C13: variant of despite]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

spite
c.1300, shortened form of despit "malice" (see despite). Corresponding to M.Du. spijt, M.L.G. spyt, M.Swed. spit. Commonly spelled spight c.1575-1700. The verb is attested from c.1400. Phrase in spite of is recorded from c.1400.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

spite

see in spite of.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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