spite

Definition

  • noun: a desire to harm, anger, or defeat another person especially because you feel that you have been treated wrongly in some way
  • noun: petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart
  • verb: to deliberately annoy, upset, or hurt (someone)
  • verb: to fill with spite
  • synonyms: annoy, grudge, malevolence

Examples

  • She tried to 'put on a brave face' [=she tried to appear brave or calm] despite the pain of the injury.

  • You can refuse to talk to her if you like, but you're just 'cutting off your nose to spite your face'.

  • They made it on time 'in spite of the fact' that they got a flat tire.

Movie clips

Movie quotes

  • (..) for this platform anyway. So you're, like, nine or ten foot tall. GOBLIN : Yeah! In spite of the gross repellant appearance of the King of the Goblins... ...he's a highly intelligent man. No tricks. I want the truth, warts and all. Something quite Kiwi about him, in a way. (..)
    2012 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey