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Despair vs Spite - What's the difference?

despair | spite |

In transitive obsolete terms the difference between despair and spite

is that despair is to cause to despair while spite is to be angry at; to hate.

As a preposition spite is

notwithstanding; despite.

despair

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
  • * Milton
  • I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted.
  • (obsolete) To cause to despair.
  • To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.
  • * Bible, 2 Corinthians i. 8
  • We despaired even of life.

    Noun

  • Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
  • He turned around in despair , aware that he was not going to survive
  • That which is despaired of.
  • Synonyms

    * desperation * despondency * hopelessness

    Anagrams

    * aspired * diapers * praised

    spite

    English

    Etymology 1

    From a shortening of (etyl) despit, from (etyl) despit (whence despite). Compare also Dutch spijt.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; a desire to vex or injure; petty malice; grudge; rancor.
  • He was so filled with spite for his ex-wife, he could not hold down a job.
    They did it just for spite .
  • * Shakespeare
  • This is the deadly spite that angers.
  • (obsolete) Vexation; chagrin; mortification.
  • "The time is out of joint: O cursed spite." Shakespeare, Hamlet

    Verb

    (spit)
  • To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.
  • She soon married again, to spite her ex-husband.
  • (obsolete) To be angry at; to hate.
  • The Danes, then pagans, spited places of religion. — Fuller.
  • To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.
  • Darius, spited at the Magi, endeavoured to abolish not only their learning, but their language. — Sir. W. Temple.

    See also

    * malignant * malicious

    Etymology 2

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Notwithstanding; despite.
  • Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----