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spite
don't cut off your nose to spite your face
Don't use self-destructive means to try to solve a problem or fix a situation. I know you're mad at your dad, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face—running away is only going to make your life harder.
cut one's nose off to spite one's face
Prov. to hurt yourself in an attempt to hurt someone else. (Often in the form, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.") Isaac dropped out of school because he wanted to make his father angry; years later, he realized that he had cut off his nose to spite his face.
in spite of someone or something
without regard to someone or something; even though another course had been prescribed; ignoring a warning. In spite of her orders to stay, I left. In spite of the bad weather, I had fun on vacation.
out of spite
with the desire to harm someone or something. Jane told some evil gossip about Bill out of spite. That was not an accident! You did it out of spite.
cut off your nose to spite your face
to hurt yourself in an effort to punish someone else If you stay home because your ex-husband will be at the party, aren't you just cutting off your nose to spite your face?
in spite of something
even while recognizing something bad
In spite of the problems they’ve faced, they are happy with the life they lead. The drug maker won't change the labeling on its product, in spite of six recent deaths tied to the drug. Usage notes: used to say that the something bad will not strongly influence you
cut off your nose to spite your face
to do something because you are angry, even if it will cause trouble for you 'The next time he treats me like that, I'm just going to quit my job.' 'Isn't that a bit like cutting off your nose to spite your face?'
cut off one's nose to spite one's face
Injure oneself out of pique. For example, Staying home because Meg was invited first is cutting off your nose to spite your face . Similar hyperboles appeared in several Latin proverbs; in English the expression was first recorded in 1561.
hell or high water, come
Also, in spite of hell or high water . No matter what difficulty or obstacle, as in I'm going to finish this week, come hell or high water. This colloquial expression, alluding to the destructive forces of hellfire or flood, was first recorded in 1915 but is thought to be older.
in spite of
Regardless of, in defiance of, as in They kept on in spite of their fears. [c. 1400]
cut off (one's) nose to spite (one's) face
To injure oneself in taking revenge against another.
in spite of
Not stopped by; regardless of: They kept going in spite of their fears.