Spite (sentiment)

a skulking toddler girl.

Spite is a feeling of contempt and/or hatred, manifesting itself as a grudge and/or a desire to injure, motivated by envy and/or perceived suffering of injustice.

The infamous Underground Man, of Fyodor Dostoevsky's well known novella Notes From Underground, is a widely known and highly influential example of spite at its utmost. The Underground Man's motivations for his actions remain constantly spiteful, seemingly only for the sake of spite, and in this way his subversion undercuts his own existence and ability to live in a way he might possibly want.

Skulking is a term used to refer to reticent behaviour. When applied to humans, it often has connotations of malingering or lurking.

When not rummaging under bushes, Mr Sculley can often be seen skulking in the woods or prowling along the shore.
[Tom Gilling, The Sooterkin]

Applied to animals, skulking tends to indicate reticent unobtrusive behaviour, especially for inhabitants of concealing habitats such as forests and reedbeds. Species described as skulking might include many rails and small birds such as the Knysna Warbler.

"Skulk" is a fanciful or literary name for a group of foxes.

See also

• Hostility
• Spite (game theory)
• Crab mentality
• Schadenfreude
• Spite house
• Cutting off the nose to spite the face