From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdetestde‧test /dɪˈtest/ verb [transitive] HATEto hate something or someone very much The two men detested each other.► see thesaurus at hate —detestation /ˌdiːteˈsteɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]GRAMMAR: Using the progressiveDetest is not used in the progressive. You say: I detest housework. ✗Don’t say: I am detesting housework.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
detest• I sat by the window with the books he detested.• He was exactly the kind of arrogant, self-satisfied man I detest.• I detest any form of cruelty toward animals.• It was a pity I detested both sea-food and olive oil.• According to Hollywood gossip, both the leading actors were detested by the rest of the cast.• The two casts of characters, although ostensibly cooperating to solve a crime of mutual interest, detest each other.• When he was at school he detested football.• The other girls detested her.• She saw Zeus sitting on Mount Ida watching the Trojans conquer, and she thought how she detested him.• Maeve hated needlework, detested it.• You don't understand. It's not just that I don't like cabbage -- I absolutely detest it!• I detested spending two hours every day travelling to work and back.• He detested starting the day with an argument.• Stalin detested the monument and had it demolished.• All men come to detest them.Origin detest (1400-1500) Latin detestari, from testis “one who gives information against someone” 