spite

英 [spaɪt] 美[spaɪt]

CET4TEM4考研CET6中频词GRE扩展词汇

复数: spites;第三人称单数: spites;过去式: spited;过去分词: spited;现在分词: spiting;

spite 恶意，怨恨

缩写自 despite,怨恨，憎恨。

spite: spite: [13] Spite was adapted from Old French despit ‘scorn, ill will’, which was also borrowed intact as despite [13]. This came from Latin dēspectus, the past participle of dēspicere ‘look down on’ (source of English despise [13]), which was a compound verb formed from the prefix dē- ‘down’ and specere ‘look’ (source of English spectacle, spy, etc). The use of in spite of and despite for ‘notwithstanding’ goes back via an intermediate ‘in defiance of’ to an original ‘in contempt of’.
=> despise, species, spectator, spy
spite (n.): c. 1300, shortened form of despit "malice" (see despite). Corresponding to Middle Dutch spijt, Middle Low German spyt, Middle Swedish spit. In 17c. commonly spelled spight. Phrase in spite of is recorded from c. 1400, literally "in defiance or contempt of," hence "notwithstanding." Spite-fence "barrier erected to cause annoyance" is from 1889.
spite (v.): c. 1400, "dislike, regard with ill will," from spite (n.). Meaning "treat maliciously" is from 1590s (as in "cut off (one's) nose to spite (one's) face"); earlier "fill with vexation, offend" (1560s). Related: Spited; spiting.

2. The blunt comment made Richard laugh in spite of himself.: 这番率直的话让理查德不由自主地大笑起来。

3. I wouldn't trust them in spite of all their la-di-da manners.: 尽管他们处处显得很高雅的样子，我还是不相信他们。

4. In spite of his illness, he clung tenaciously to his job.: 尽管有病在身，他仍顽强地坚持工作。