Definitions for Despite
dɪˈspaɪtDe·spite

Princeton's WordNet(4.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. contempt, disdain, scorn, despitenoun

   lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

   "he was held in contempt"; "the despite in which outsiders were held is legendary"

2. despitenoun

   contemptuous disregard

   "she wanted neither favor nor despite"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. despitenoun

   Disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred.

2. despitenoun

   Action or behaviour displaying such feelings; an outrage, insult.

3. despitenoun

   Evil feeling; malice, spite.

4. despitepreposition

   in spite of

5. Etymology: From despit, from despectum, from despicere.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. DESPITEnoun

   Etymology: spijt, Dutch; dépit, French.

   1. Malice; anger; malignity; maliciousness; spleen; hatred.

   Thou wretch! despite o’erwhelm thee! William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   With men these considerations are usually the causes of despite, disdain, or aversion from others; but with God they pass for reasons of our greater tenderness towards others. Thomas Sprat.

   2. Defiance.

   The life, thou gav’st me first, was lost and done;
   ’Till with thy warlike sword, despite of fate,
   To my determin’d time thou gav’st new date. William Shakespeare, H. VI.

   My life thou shalt command, but not my shame;
   The one my duty owes; but my fair name,
   Despite of death, that lives upon my grave,
   To dark dishonour’s use thou shalt not have. William Shakespeare, Rich. II.

   Know I will serve the fair in thy despite. John Dryden, Fab.

   I have not quitted yet a victor’s right;
   I’ll make you happy in your own despite. John Dryden, Aurengzebe.

   Say, would the tender creature, in despite
   Of heat by day, and chilling dews by night,
   Its life maintain? Richard Blackmore, Creation.

   Thou, with rebel insolence, did’st dare
   To own and to protect that hoary ruffian;
   And in despite, ev’n of thy father’s justice,
   To stir the factious rabble up to arms. Nicholas Rowe, Amb. S. Moth.

   3. Act of malice; act of opposition.

   His punishment, eternal misery,
   It would be all his solace and revenge,
   As a despite done against the most High,
   Thee once to gain companion of his woe. John Milton, Par. Lost.

2. To Despiteverb

   To vex; to affront; to give uneasiness to.

   Etymology: from the noun.

   Saturn, with his wife Rhea, fled by night, setting the town on fire, to despite Bacchus. Walter Raleigh, History.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Despitenoun

   malice; malignity; spite; malicious anger; contemptuous hate

2. Despitenoun

   an act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a deed of contempt

3. Despitenoun

   to vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously

4. Despite

   in spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices

5. Etymology: [OF. despitier, fr. L. despectare, intens. of despicere. See Despite, n.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Despite

   de-spīt′, n. a looking down upon with contempt: violent malice or hatred.—prep. in spite of: notwithstanding.—adj. Despite′ful.—adv. Despite′fully.—n. Despite′fulness.—adj. Despit′eous (Spens.). [O. Fr. despit (mod. dépit)—L. despectus—despicĕre.]

Matched Categories

1. • Dislike
   • Disregard

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Despite' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #625

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Despite' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2698

Anagrams for Despite »

1. seed pit

How to pronounce Despite?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Despite in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Despite in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Despite in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of Despite in a Sentence

1. Dominic Ongwen:

   The head of state has promised to forgive me, and he said the world will hear about the wonders he will do for me, i am now a free man despite the ICC case against me. If I can come back, then what about you who have no case?

2. North Carolina:

   From the outset, Democrats made clear their intentions of leveraging an activist judiciary to seize political gain despite the Republican-led legislature’s open, transparent, constitutional process, the NCGOP looks forward to another open, constitutional process for the legislature to redraw these maps and sincerely hope the constitutional order is not upended yet again by Democrats writing policy from the bench.

3. Annabel Kim:

   I am interested in feminist writing and theory, the novel…and the ethical and political implications of writing and reading fiction, while I specialize in 20th- and 21st-century French literature, I have a soft spot for literature from the 18th and 19th centuries, despite the myriad ways it has of killing off its women.

4. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein:

   The Security Council has not lived up to the sacrifice of these heroes in Syria, it has not taken decisive action to defend human rights and prevent further loss of life despite the absolutely shameful conduct that has marked this conflict from the outset.

5. Danyal Balagopal Abdullah:

   Some of it is really petty, even the cigarette stain was a problem, i agree that our athletes should not have done it as they had been briefed and warned of the consequences. Despite the hefty fine, I don't think indiscipline in Incheon is a big issue.

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