Spite sb.

Forms: α. 4, 6 spyt, 4–6 (8) spyte (5 spyyte, spytte); 4– spite (4 spitt, 5 spit, 6 spiet). β. 6–9 spight (6 spighte). [Aphetic form of DESPITE sb. (OF. despit), corresponding to MDu. (and Du.) spijt (WFris. spyt), MLG. spyt, spît (LG. spīt, NFris. spīt, spīd), MSw. spīt. The spelling spight, on the analogy of native words in -ight, was common from c. 1575 to 1700 both in the simple word and derivatives.]

  † 1.  Action arising from, or displaying, hostile or malignant feeling; outrage, injury, harm; insult, reproach. Obs. (Cf. DESPITE sb. 2 and 3.)

  a.  In the phr. to do (one) spite or a spite.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15568. Þou sal þam se yeitt to night do me ful gret spite. Ibid. (13[?]), 7725 (Gött.). Godd it forbede, þat þu … euer him do spitt or schame.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 686. Þou hast y-lyued by lif to longe, to do me such a spyte.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, l. 169. To do hym the more spyte I shall make lyes ynowe.

1589.  R. Robinson, Gold. Mirr. (1851), 18. He piteis people poore that weepe, When wrong hath done them spite.

1636.  Jonson, Discov., Wks. (1692), 694. It is as great a spite to be praised in the wrong place, as can be done to a noble nature.

1658.  Whole Duty of Man, XI. § 7. 231. Men will make … spoile of the goods of one, to whom they bear a grudg, though they never designe to get any thing to themselves by it, but only the pleasure of doing a spight to the other.

  b.  In other contexts.

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1444. Þre at þe fyrst þrast he þryȝt to þe erþe, & sped hym forth good sped, boute spyt more.

a. 1400.  Amis & Amil., 1594. It is gret spite to al mi kende.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 469. Spyyte, repref or schame,… obprobrium.

1449.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 148/1. Not oonly … to the irreparable hurt,… but also a everlastyng spite, and perpetuell denigration in the fame … of this noble Reme.

1549.  Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Gal. 21. I carie about in my bodye all the spite, that I haue for Christe sustayned, as emprisonmentes, scourgynges [etc.].

1596.  Drayton, Legends, i. 653. To make Time worke him everlasting spight.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., X. 181. Two days, two nights, We lay here pining in the fatal spights Of toil and sorrow.

1633.  P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., VII. lviii. His Will his Law, he weigh’d not wrong or right; Much scorn’d to bear, much more forgive a spight.

  2.  A strong feeling of († contempt,) hatred or ill-will; intense grudge or desire to injure; rancorous or envious malice. (Cf. DESPITE sb. 4.)

  α.  c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 3135 (Kölbing). King Lot … & oþer of priss Of his ȝiftes spite hadden.

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., B. 755. I schal my þro steke, & spare spakly of spyt … & my rankor refrayne.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 12093. He besit hym … þe burde for to seche,… Till he aspiet hir with spit … Doune in a dungion.

a. 1425.  Cursor M., 2610 (Trin.). Greet spit she leteþ bi me. Ibid., 4619. Nay sir he seide take not to spit.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 301 b. With all spyte & disdayne, cryenge moost outrageously Crucifigatur.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. viii. 42. This Poet being full of poeticall spyte and indignation.

1633.  P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., I. vi. Sing what thou list, be it of Cupids spite (Ah lovely spite, and spitefull lovelinesse!)

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 178. Whom us the more to spite his Maker rais’d From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid.

1746.  Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. xiv. 54. None there with Eye askance my Pleasures views, With Hatred dark, or poison’d Spite pursues.

1765.  Gray, Shaks., 5. Much have I borne from canker’d critic’s spite.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 79. He knew … what all this liberality meant. It was mere Whiggish spite to himself and his religion.

1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), II. App. 677. He at least has no spite against Harold.

  Comb.  1592.  Nashe, P. Penilesse, 14 b. Assemble the famous men of all ages, and tel me which of them all sate in the sunshine of his soueraignes grace … but he was spiteblasted, heaued at, & ill spoken of.

  β.  1577.  St. Aug. Manual (Longman), 45. Let the devils then doe their spight.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. II. Imposture, 54. Hate, Pride, and Envious spight, His hellish life do torture day and night.

1642–4.  Vicars, God in Mount, 64. The poysonous malice and incorrigible spight and splene of the malignant partie.

1672.  Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 234. Nothing but his spight against the Nonconformists.

1729.  Law, Serious C., 396. They are no foundation for envy or spight or hatred.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist., IV. 198. An ape … stamping with its feet … to show its spight.

  b.  In the phrases for (also † of) or in spite.

  (a)  a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 270. I myght noghte speke for spytte, so my herte trymblyde!

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 745. Quen he had spokin so, for spyte he spittis in his face.

1559.  Mirr. Mag., Salisbury, xxiii. To take his towne of Yvery, which of spight Did to vs dayly al the harme they might.

1570.  Satir. Poems Reform., xiii. 64. [They] hangit vp for spyte twa theuis besyde him.

1652.  Culpepper, Eng. Physic., 75. The Root was longer until the D—l (as the Fryars say) bit away the rest for spight envying its usefulness unto mankinde.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. i. 216. Still so perverse and opposite, As if they worshipp’d God for spight.

1865.  M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., vi. 194. Anything to quarrel with one! anything for spite!

  (b)  1565.  J. Hall, Crt. Vertue, 30. Why should they saye to vs in spighte, Where is their God?

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxii. (1611), 390. Some in disdaine and spite termed grace drunkennesse.

1657.  Trapp, Comm. Ezra i. 5. Julian the Apostate once did [encourage the Jews] in spight to the Christians, but it came to nothing.

1680.  Morden, Geog. Rect., France (1688), 161. Arlet the Skinners Daughter, of whom Duke Robert begat William the Conqueror; in spight to whom, and disgrace to his Mother, the English call Whores, Harlots.

1842.  Tennyson, Dora, 37. And half in love, half spite, he … wed A labourer’s daughter.

  c.  fig. Of fortune, nature, the elements, etc.

1562.  Bullein, Bulwarke, Bk. Sicke Men, 77 b. With a lustie manly courage he defied the spight of Fortune.

1595.  T. P. Goodwine, Blanchardyn, I iv b. Since … fortune hath spit her deadly spight.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., 466. A certaine peculiar spite and envie of Nature.

1616.  B. Jonson, Forest, xi. 830. To know vice well, And her blacke Spight expell.

1627.  May, Lucan, II. 264. Windes rage, and Thunders spight, Plaine grounds must suffer.

1708.  Ozell, trans. Boileau’s Lutrin, 54. The wormy boards, by Time’s corroding Spight disjoin’d.

1814.  Scott, Lord of Isles, VI. xxxvii. Ourself the cause, through fortune’s spite, That once broke short that spousal rite.

  3.  With a and pl. A particular instance of malignant or rancorous feeling directed towards a special object. Freq. in phr. to have a spite at.

a. 1400.  Sir Degrev., 101. There wonede an eorl…, a lord of mochelle pryd,… He hade a grete spyt of the knyght.

a. 1568.  Ascham, Scholem., I. (Arb.), 78. This is not the opinion of one, for some priuate spite, but the iudgement of all.

1573.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 204. But where a spight Of force must bee, What is that wight May disagree?

1612.  T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 12. Oh, saith one, this Preacher … hath some spight at me.

1663.  Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxiv. He bears an ill will to us, and owes us a spite.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, II. i. Being afraid the boy might owe me a spite.

1849.  Cupples, Green Hand, vi. (1856), 63. The mystery to her always is why the neighbours had a spite at me.

1890.  Spectator, 11 Jan., 41/2. In a battle of sterile spites with the French people.

  b.  A mood or humor. rare^–1.

1723.  Swift, Stella at Wood Park, 1. Don Carlos, in a merry Spight, Did Stella to his House invite.

  † 4.  a. Matter for regret. Obs.^–1

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 7254. It is gret pite, out of drede, For they wole be noon ypocritis. Of hem me thynketh (it) gret spite is.

  † b.  An annoying matter, affair or thing. Obs.

1577–82.  Breton, Toyes Idle Head, Wks. (Grosart), I. 54/2. My Lady lawght: Is loue, quod she, A spight and sporte, to both at ones?

1598.  B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. iii. I ha’ no bootes, that’s the spight on’t.

1606.  Choice, Chance, etc. (1881), 48. What a spight it was to see a horse of service drawe in a doung-carte.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. 34. But now the Spight is, that an unparallel’d Critick in Antiquity, leaves this Patrick at this time sweating in the Irish Harvest.

  † c.  A feeling of annoyance or irritation. Obs.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, V. (1598), 443. She ioyned the vexation for her friend, with the spite to see her selfe as she thought rebelliously detained.

1670.  Temple, Let. Sir J. Trevor, Wks. 1720, II. 233. After this I waited with great Spight and Impatience … about five Hours.

  5.  Phrase. In spite of, in defiance († scorn or contempt) of; in the face of; notwithstanding. (Cf. DESPITE sb. 5.)

  α.  c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1968. But for noy of my nobilte & my nome gret, I shuld … spede the to spille in spite of þi kynge.

1563.  Mirr. Mag., Blacke Smyth & Ld. Awdeley, lx. He dyed, Clad in his cote armor paynted all in paper, Al torne and reversed in spyte of his behaver.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 113. In spite both of him and his Legate, they kept company with them that were excommunicate.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., I. 232. They … said, that the Scripture must be beleeved, in spite of all Cosmographers and Philosophers.

1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 36. He told us that the arrows would fight together in spight of us.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 79, ¶ 1. The Heart of Man deceives him in spite of the Lectures of half a Life.

1765.  Museum Rust., IV. 266. They grow poor, in spite of all possible industry.

1818.  Scott, Br. Lamm., xx. The tears, in spite of her, forced their way between her fingers.

c. 1853.  Kingsley, Misc. (1859), I. 15. The English are attacked treacherously in spite of solemn compacts.

1881.  Lucy B. Walford, Dick Netherby, xxi. I’ll go on my own way in spite of you all.

  β.  1576.  Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 49. This worthy bird hath taught my weary Muze To sing a song, in spight of their despight.

1581.  Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., III. (1586), 129 b. The wife in spight of the husband, gave halfe the meate … to a poore bodie.

1627.  Drayton, Agincourt, etc. 89. In spight of Fate they’ll giue their Foe the worse.

1666.  Boyle, Orig. Forms & Qual., 165. The Water will, in spight of the Form, continue far lesse cold, then … its nature requires.

1702.  Rowe, Tamerl., Prol. In spight of Time, the Sacred Story lives.

1762.  Gentl. Mag., XXXII. 217/2. The benefits of innoculation have established the practice in spight of all opposition.

1816.  F. H. Naylor, Hist. Germany, I. I. i. 16. In spight of their efforts.

  b.  In phrases with † face, † heart, † nose, teeth. (Cf. 6 b.)

14[?].  in Tundale’s Vis. (1843), 108. They schall askape in spyte of thi face.

1549.  [see TOOTH sb. 5].

1570–.  [see NOSE sb. 6 b].

1574.  trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 13. Euen in spight of their harts they saw Christ sitting at the right hand of God.

1622.  Gataker, Spir. Watch (ed. 2), 73. It would euen enforce them to looke about them in spight of their teeth.

1689–1835.  [see TOOTH sb. 5].

  c.  In the phr. In spite of spite. Now arch.

1592.  Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvi. (1612), 172. In spight of Spight in Hespera I golden fruit would pull.

1622.  Wither, Philarete, N vij. Those that sleight thee now, shall loue thee, And, in spight of spight, approue thee.

1855.  Tennyson, Maud, I. xiii. i. His face, as I grant, in spite of spite, Has a broad blown comeliness.

  † d.  In (one’s) spite, = in spite of (one). Obs.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., X. 382. Ile guard thee free, And saue thee in her spite.

1709.  Pope, Ess. Crit., 34. Mævius scribbles in Apollo’s spight. Ibid. (1732), Ess. Man, I. 285. In erring reason’s spight One truth is clear; Whatever Is, is Right.

1765.  Goldsm., New Simile, 4. The modern scribbling kind, who write In wit, and sense, and nature’s spite.

  † e.  In the spite of, in spite of. Obs.

1632.  Sanderson, Serm., 546. In the spight of so many enemies.

1718.  M. Davies, Athen. Brit., III. 92. In the sight and spight of the Scotch Forces, under Cardinal Beton.

  6.  Spite of, = prec. (Cf. DESPITE sb. 6.)

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., XIX. (Percy Soc.), 96. Spyte of your enemyes, I shal me so spede, That in short tyme ye may rewarde my mede.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., cvii. Death to me subscribes; Since spight of him Ile liue in this poore rime.

1681.  Dryden, Abs. & Achit., I. 565. For, spight of him, the weight of Business fell On Absalom, and wise Achitophel.

1761.  Mrs. F. Sheridan, Sidney Bidulph, II. 167. Her surprize, spite of her assumed airs of grandeur, was not to be concealed.

1823.  Bentham, Not Paul, 168. Spite of reason, religion, and Jesus, the victory is, in this account, given to James.

a. 1873.  Deutsch, Lit. Rem. (1874), 366. That stamp of unity which it now possesses, spite of the occasional difference of style.

  † b.  In phrases (cf. 5 b and 5 c). Obs.

1526.  Rastell, in Shaks. Jest Bk. (1866), 45. He agayn said he wold bryng them ouer spyte of his teth.

1532.  Tindale, Expos. v.–vii. Matt. (1550), 39 b. To obeye theyr cruelnesse and tyrannye spite of their heades.

1573.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 130. Least … it noieth or perisheth, spight of thy hart.

1600.  W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 10. Satisfaction and restitution will be demaunded,… spite of their teeths. Ibid., 341–2. They [Iesuits] shall be lanced into the quicke, spite of spite it selfe.

1618.  Brathwait, Rem. after Death, E vij. To such an one as sole executour, Spite of our nose playes Executioner.

1664–75.  [see NOSE sb. 6 b].

  c.  With of omitted. (Cf. DESPITE sb. 6.)

1878.  Susan K. Phillips, On Seaboard, 62.