spite
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.
to treat with spite or malice.
to annoy or thwart, out of spite.
to fill with spite; vex; offend.
Idioms about 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
1synonym study For spite
Other words for spite
Other words from spite
- spiteless, adjective
- un·spit·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use spite in a sentence
He spites him by damaging his plants all he can in a sly and ingenious way.
The Browning Cyclopdia | Edward BerdoeAnd soon she began to appreciate the small spites and cliques, the little misunderstandings and alliances that enmeshed about her.
Tales of Space and Time | Herbert George WellsWhat spites and quarrels are still flourishing among my old neighbours which owe their origin to that election!
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 453 | VariousHerein lay ample scope for those small spites and jealousies that are more than bread and meat to women of a certain type.
Captain Desmond, V.C. | Maud DiverThere were old neighborhood spites and feuds going back, dividing blood from blood—even brothers of the same blood.
The Desert and The Sown | Mary Hallock Foote
British Dictionary definitions for spite
/ (spaɪt) /
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
to annoy in order to vent spite
archaic to offend
Origin of spite
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with spite
see in spite of.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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