spite
[ spahyt ]
/ spaɪt /
noun
a malicious, usually petty, desire to harm, annoy, frustrate, or humiliate another person; bitter ill will; malice.
a particular instance of such an attitude or action; grudge.
Obsolete.
something that causes vexation; annoyance.
verb (used with object), spit·ed, spit·ing.
to treat with spite or malice.
to annoy or thwart, out of spite.
to fill with spite; vex; offend.
VIDEO FOR SPITE
WATCH NOW: What's The Difference Between "Spite" And "Despite"?
If you cut off your nose despite your face, that’s like lopping off your schnoz without any regard to your face. But if you cut off your nose to spite your face, you’re doing because you’re so mad at it. So which is it?
Idioms for spite
cut off one's nose to spite one's face.
nose(def 23).
in spite of,
in disregard or defiance of; notwithstanding; despite: She arrived at school on time in spite of the snowstorm.
Origin of spite
1250–1300; Middle English; aphetic variant of
despite
SYNONYMS FOR spite
8 See
notwithstanding.
OTHER WORDS FROM spite
spite·less, adjective un·spit·ed, adjectiveWords nearby spite
spit-shine,
spital,
spitball,
spitballer,
spitchcock,
spite,
spite fence,
spiteful,
spitfire,
spithead,
spitsbergen
Example sentences from the Web for spite
British Dictionary definitions for spite
spite
/ (spaɪt) /
noun
maliciousness involving the desire to harm another; venomous ill will
an instance of such malice; grudge
archaic
something that induces vexation
in spite of (preposition)
in defiance of; regardless of; notwithstanding
verb (tr)
to annoy in order to vent spite
archaic
to offend
Word Origin for spite
C13: variant of
despite
Idioms and Phrases with spite
spite
see in spite of.