• Detest

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /dɪˈtÉ›st/

    Origin

    From Middle French detester, from Latin detestari ("to imprecate evil while calling the gods to witness", "denounce", "hate intensely"), from de- + testari ("to testify, bear witness"), from testis ("a witness"); see test, testify.

    Full definition of detest

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To dislike intensely; to loathe.I detest snakes.Who dares think one thing, and another tell,
      My heart detests him as the gates of hell.
      — Pope.
    2. (obsolete) To witness against; to denounce; to condemn.The heresy of Nestorius ... was detested in the Eastern churches. — Fuller.God hath detested them with his own mouth. — Bale.

    Usage notes

    This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See

    Synonyms

    Anagrams

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