spite
n. · prep.-
1 malice or ill will (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea feeling of wanting to annoy or upset someone, often because you feel they have treated you badly.
a desire to harm, annoy, or frustrate someone, typically characterized by petty malice or ill will.
ExampleHe only invited her ex-boyfriend to the party out of pure spite.
ExampleThe decision to block the promotion seemed to be motivated more by personal spite than by any objective assessment of her professional performance.
- malice
- nastiness
- spitefulness
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2 in spite of (prep.) B1 Intermediateused to say that something happens even though there is something else that might prevent it.
functioning as a complex preposition meaning 'notwithstanding' or 'despite'.
ExampleIn spite of the heavy rain, the football match continued until the end.
ExampleThe company reported record profits in spite of the global economic downturn and rising energy costs.
UsageAlways used in the fixed phrase 'in spite of'.
PitfallHe went out in spite the rain.He went out in spite of the rain.The word 'spite' must be followed by 'of' when used as a preposition.
From Middle English spit, a shortening of despit (whence despite), from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from Latin dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”). Compare also North Frisian spīt, spīd (“regret”), Saterland Frisian Spiet (“regret, remorse”), West Frisian spyt (“regret”), Dutch spijt (“regret, remorse”), German Low German Spiet (“anger, regret, remorse”), German Spiet (“annoyance, vexation”), Swedish spit (“insult, outrage, annoyance”), Norwegian spit (“insult, outrage, annoyance”).
- Nounspite
- Adjectivespiteful