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despise

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despise
despise /dɪˈspaɪz/ verb [transitive not in progressive]
 Date: 1200-1300
 Language: Old French
 Origin: despire, from Latin despicere 'to look down on', from specere 'to look'
to dislike and have a low opinion of someone or something:
    She despised her neighbours.
     
THESAURUS
    hate verb [transitive not in progressive] to dislike someone or something very much: Billy hated his stepfather. | He hated the fact that his wife was more successful than he was. | She hates people being late.
    can’t stand/can’t bear to hate someone or something. Can’t stand is less formal than hate, and is very common in everyday English: She’s OK, but I can’t stand her husband. | He couldn’t bear the thought of life without Nicole. | She can’t stand being on her own.
    loathe /ləʊð $ loʊð//detest verb [transitive not in progressive] to hate something or someone very much. Loathe and detest are a little more formal than hate: He loathed housework. | Greg had detested his brother for as long as he could remember. | She evidently loathes her ex-husband.
    despise verb [transitive not in progressive] to hate someone or something very much and have no respect for them: He despised the man and could never forgive him for what he had done. | They despised the wealth and consumerism of the West.
    abhor /əbˈhɔː $ əbˈhɔːr, æb-/ verb [transitive not in progressive] formal to hate something because you think it is morally wrong: He abhorred violence. | We abhor racism in any form.