adv. Obs. Forms: α. 4 spitusli (5 -ly), spytously, 4–5 spitously (4 -liche, 5 -lich); 5 spetously, -owsle. β. 5 spiteousely, -iously. γ. 5 spet-, spytuously, spytt-, spituosly, spiteuoseli, spytwysly. [f. prec.] = DESPITOUSLY adv.
α. 13[?]. Cursor M., 5082 (Gött.). Þe coupe into ȝour seck put i, And presuned ȝou ful spitusli.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1285. Alle he spoyled spitously in a sped whyle.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 321. Þe childe anon þrewe doun þe crowne, and tradde þeron spitousliche wiþ his feet.
c. 1440. Cast. Persev., 27. Spylt is man spetously, whanne he to synne asent.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 43. The houndes … chaced and bote hem spitously bi the eeres and thies.
β. c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3698. Hit spirit vp spitiously fyue speire lenght.
c. 1460. Pol., Rel., & L. Poems (1903), 204. Whan I smote so spiteousely.
γ. c. 1440. Partonope, 2003. A stroke smote he Vpon Sornogour[s] helme so gay, So spetuously that he gan affray.
c. 1450. in Aungier, Hist. Syon Monast. (1840), 261. If any ley vyolente hande upon her souereyne or spituosly smyte or wownde her.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVIII. vii. 753. A boore resyth full spytuously ayenste the poynt of a spere of the hunter.
