spite1 nounspite2 verb
spitespite1 /spaɪt/ ●●○ W3 noun [uncountable] 
WORD ORIGINspite1
Origin:
1200-1300 despite (noun) (13-20 centuries); ➔ DESPITEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Gerald's feelings of injustice turned to bitterness and spite.
- Ignore what Martin says. It's pure spite.
- She quit college and worked as a waitress out of spite towards her parents.
- Agelong Hindu cruelty to his unhappy brethren filled Ambedkar with anger and spite.
- Biblical movies usually wind up epic in scope in spite of every effort to keep them small.
- In spite of his other fencing skills, Richie had never quite mastered the post hammer.
- In spite of the furor the codicil caused, life went on much as before.
- In spite of the vote for Clinton in 1992, it is that second personality that has been in the ascendant recently.
- Sometimes the pirates would sink a boat out of spite for wasting their time.
- This is not to say that spite, malice or dishonesty may not exist; they clearly can.
Longman Language Activatorwhen a particular fact does not prevent something from happening
· Although I missed my train, I still arrived at work on time.· Although we are a small company, we produce over 10,000 cars a year.even though (=use this when you want to emphasize what you are saying) · She always buys us expensive presents, even though she can't really afford them.
even though something happens or is true, especially something bad: · In spite of everything, I still enjoyed the trip.· He wore a black leather jacket, despite the heat.· The stock price has remained strong, in spite of the problems the company is having.· In spite of the language difficulty, we soon became friends.· Despite my misgivings, I took the job.despite yourself (=despite efforts to behave or feel differently): · At the end of the movie, Liz began to cry despite herself.in spite of the fact that/despite the fact that: · Many poor people give quite a bit of money to charities, despite the fact that they do not have that much themselves.
deliberately cruel in order to upset someone deliberately cruel and unkind to someone because you really want to upset them and enjoy doing so: · Miss Simms took a malicious pleasure in other people's misfortunes.· Mr Jameson dismissed the allegations as malicious rumours.· Nixon's family called Stone's depiction of the late President 'erroneous and malicious'.
deliberately nasty to someone in order to hurt or upset them, especially because you are jealous of them or are angry with them: · On the rare occasions when he was angry, Lowry could be spiteful and petty.spiteful to: · You shouldn't be so spiteful to your sister.· I tried to like Julie but I couldn't forget how spiteful she'd been to me in the past.
a feeling of wanting to hurt or upset other people by saying or doing cruel things, especially if you feel jealous or think you have been unfairly treated: · Gerald's feelings of injustice turned to bitterness and spite.pure/sheer spite (=spite and nothing else): · Ignore what Martin says. It's pure spite.out of spite (=because of spite): · She quit college and worked as a waitress out of spite towards her parents.
deliberately cruel and unfair because you want to harm someone who has harmed you: · "I'll pay her back for this.'' "Don't be so vindictive. It doesn't help anyone.''· Doug could be nasty and vindictive when he was drinking.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.
Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much. (=spite and nothing else)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· Despite his misgivings, he decided to support the proposal.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· They wanted to peck you all over, out of sheer spite.· Or were they keeping me here out of sheer spite?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1in spite of something without being affected or prevented by something SYN despite: - In spite of her success, Spencer continues to get depressed.
- Anna's first kiss is a thank-you for the warmth William exudes in spite of his nervousness.
- Biblical movies usually wind up epic in scope in spite of every effort to keep them small.
- But in spite of the hardships, real efforts and progress are being made.
- The finished necklace looked the same as the teacher's in spite of constant interruptions and distractions.
- The payments were awarded to him in spite of the fact that he participated in the negotiation of the deal with VastNed.
- This in spite of suffering and discord, in spite of ignorance and general human failure.
- What makes them interesting is that they keep going in spite of their terror and their sense of loss.
- Yet he still suffered dreadfully from stomach troubles; indeed, his health deteriorated in spite of the mountain atmosphere.
- The picture made her laugh in spite of herself.
- Almost in spite of himself, he did well at Latin.
- Angie responds in spite of herself when Cain flirts with her.
- I feel a stab of envy in spite of myself.
- I hurried home, my heart pounding and my hands trembling in spite of myself-I could not believe it.
- I went along to my session, and I was shaking in spite of myself.
- If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
We went out in spite of the rain. Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.2a feeling of wanting to hurt or upset people, for example because you are jealous or think you have been unfairly treatedout of spite (=because of spite) She broke it just out of spite.pure/sheer spite (=spite and nothing else)3in spite of yourself if you do something in spite of yourself, you do it although you did not expect or intend to do it: The picture made her laugh in spite of herself.spite1 nounspite2 verb
spitespite2 verb [transitive only in infinitive] VERB TABLE
spite
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | spite |
| he, she, it | spites | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | spited |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have spited |
| he, she, it | has spited | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had spited |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will spite |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have spited |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am spiting |
| he, she, it | is spiting | |
| you, we, they | are spiting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was spiting |
| you, we, they | were spiting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been spiting |
| he, she, it | has been spiting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been spiting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be spiting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been spiting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Now he's asking to keep the dog just to spite his ex-wife.
- He lives just to get back in office to spite the people.
- Pretty belonged in this country to spite La Bruja.
- To spite me, Edusha talked of him continually.
- We can be cutting off our noses to spite our faces if dealers aren't making enough money to carry on.
Longman Language Activatorto harm yourself by your own actions
: only harm yourself · They'll only harm themselves if they decide to leave the association.· By making the complaint the only person he harmed was himself.
to behave in a way that is certain to cause you harm, especially because of pride or anger: · It would be silly to give up your job now -- you'd just be cutting your own throat.
to continuously behave in a stupid way that results in you being harmed: · My mother was her own worst enemy. She knew she was ill but she did nothing to help herself.· Many drivers are their own worst enemy -- driving too close, driving too fast, all the usual faults.
to stupidly do something that seriously harms you, especially by saying something stupid or making plans that go badly wrong: · Once again, the government has shot itself in the foot -- this time by reducing widows' pensions.
to deliberately not do something that would make an unpleasant situation better for you, because you are too angry or proud to do it: · If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The neighbours throw things over the garden wall just to spite us.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The neighbours throw things over the garden wall just to spite us.· Despite his misgivings, he decided to support the proposal.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
to deliberately annoy or upset someone: - If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
The neighbours throw things over the garden wall just to spite us. → cut off your nose to spite your face at cut