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
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

To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.

Darius, spited at the Magi, endeavoured to abolish not only their learning, but their language. "” Sir. W. Temple.
Wiktionary
Antonyms:
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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