Strongly disliked or hated something intensely.
From Latin 'detestari,' from 'de-' (down) plus 'testari' (to call as witness). The word originally meant to curse by calling the gods to witness one's hatred.
The word literally means 'to call upon the gods to witness your hatred'—so when you detest something, you're using language with the weight of ancient religious curse-words!
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