despiteous, a.
(dɪsˈpɪtɪəs)
Forms: 5 dispitious, -pyteous, 5–6 despituous, 5–7 dispiteous, 6 dispit-, -pytuous, -pighteous, despyteous, 6– despiteous.
[Late ME. variant of despitous, from its spelling specially associated with piteous († pituous), and so giving rise to a differentiated form, dispiteous.]
1. orig. = despitous: full of despite, contempt, or ill-will; contemptuous, opprobrious. arch.
| 14.. Chaucer's Knt.'s T. 919 (Harl. MS. a 1425) A proud dispitious man. [6 texts des-, dispitous.] 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 14/1 Derysions despituous. 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. vi. xi. (W. de W.) 196 Prowde and stoute and dyspiteous. 1529 More Supplic. Soulys Wks. 289/1 Despyteous and despiteful persone. 1529 ― Dyaloge iv. ibid. 258/1 Now is it to pyghteouse a sight to se the dispytuous dispyghtes done there..to god and al good men. 1532 ― Confut. Tindale ibid. 354/2 Tindalles develishe prowde dispituouse hearte. 1548 Udall etc. Erasm. Par. Luke xx. 11 With much despiteous language. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 412 A rayling and despighteous speech of Scaliger. 1888 Morris Dream of John Ball iv. 30 The proud, despiteous rich man. |
b. (erroneous.)
| 1623 Cockeram, Despituous, contemptible, vile. |
2. Spiteful, malevolent, cruel; passing gradually into the sense: Pitiless, merciless, dispiteous.
| c 1510 More Picus Wks. 25 To thy moste vtter dispiteous enemies. 1513 ― in Grafton Chron. II. 758 He was close and secret..despiteous & cruell. 1520 Caxton's Chron. Eng. v. 47 b/2 They shall.. put them to dyspyteous dethe [1480 dyspitous deth]. 1549 Chaloner tr. Erasm. Moriæ Enc. P ij b, Warre is so cruell and despiteous a thyng. a 1557 M. Basset More's Treat. Passion Wks. 1372/2 The dyspighteous and horrible ende of Judas. 1568 C. Watson Polyb. 92 b, The Carthaginenses having knowledge of the Crueltie shewed to their citizens..bewailed the despituous death and cruel torments they susteined. 1595 Shakes. John iv. i. 34 Turning dispitious torture out of doore? 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 15 Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous. 1600 Holland Livy xxviii. xx. 683 b, For very despiteous anger and deepe hatred. [19th c. see dispiteous.] |