spite 
(spīt)
(spīt)n.
Malicious ill will prompting an urge to hurt or humiliate another person.
tr.v. spit·ed, spit·ing, spites
Idiom: To treat with spite; show spite toward: "Maybe she became engaged to him in order to spite another man" (Nathaniel West).
in spite of
Not stopped by; regardless of: They kept going in spite of their fears.
[Middle English, short for despit; see DESPITE.]