de ‧ spise /dɪˈspaɪz/ BrE AmE 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.
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THESAURUS
▪ hate verb [transitive not in progressive] to dislike someone or something very much:
Billy hated his stepfather.
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He hated the fact that his wife was more successful than he was.
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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.
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He couldn’t bear the thought of life without Nicole.
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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.
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Greg had detested his brother for as long as he could remember.
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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.
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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.
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We abhor racism in any form.