abhor
/əbˈhɔː
/verb (abhors, abhorring, abhorred) [with object]
Regard with disgust and hatred: he abhorred sexism in every form...
- Healthcare professionals abhor politicians' interference in the NHS.
- It also means sitting down with someone, someone who is not abhorred or hated, to have a conversation.
- However, it obviously cannot involve either, because the university is famously progressive, and hence abhors both sins.
Derivatives
abhorrer
- Watchers are notorious pencil sharpeners, ribbon changers, plant waterers, home repairers and abhorrers of messy rooms or messy pages.
- Your enemies and abhorrers look on with mild amusement.
- Allowing companies to choose their compliancy would satisfy both adorers and abhorrers of the law.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin abhorrere, from ab- 'away from' + horrere 'to shudder'.
Abhor literally means something that makes you shudder. It comes from Latin ab- ‘away from’ and horrere ‘to shudder with fright’, also the basis of horror. In Shakespeare's day abhor could also mean ‘to cause horror’: ‘It does abhor me now I speak the word’ (Othello).