spite

spite¹ W3 [spaıt] n [U]

[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: despite (noun) (13-20 centuries); DESPITE]

1.) in spite of sth

without being affected or prevented by something

= ↑despite

▪ We went out in spite of the rain.

▪ Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.

2.) a feeling of wanting to hurt or upset people, for example because you are ↑jealous or think you have been unfairly treated

out of spite

(=because of spite)

▪ She broke it just out of spite.

pure/sheer spite

(=spite and nothing else)

3.) in 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.

spite ²

spite² v [T only in infinitive]

to deliberately annoy or upset someone

▪ The neighbours throw things over the garden wall just to spite us.

→cut off your nose to spite your face at cut off(10)