Despise

From Awe

The verb 'to despise' is one of those verbs ending in the sound 'EYES' (IPA: /aɪz/) for which, despite the advice in -ise - -ize, the spelling with -ise "is compulsory" (Burchfield's Fowler, s.v. -ise).

'To despise' someone is 'to look down on' that person; to think badly of' them, or 'to consider them as inferior'. Do not allow the spellchecker to let you get awqay with the typo of confusing the verb despise and the preposition (and archaic noun despite.