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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

  • (..) E.O.D., Army Delta, Marine Force Recon, Naval intel community, and so on. In spite of your expertise, many of you will not successfully negotiate this program. Those that do will experience an operational tempo... that far exceeds that of any unit (..)
    1997 G.I. Jane