What does "despite" mean?
Despite: 2. An act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a deed of contempt. A despite done against the Most High. Milton. In despite, in defiance of another's power or inclination. -- In despite of, in defiance of; in spite of. See under Spite. "Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary." W. Irving. -- In your despite, in defiance or contempt of you; in spite of you. [Obs.]
Additional senses
- 2.To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.
- 3.In spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00