Definition/Meaning of despite

• English - Noun: despite ( uncountable ) ( obsolete ) Disdain , contemptuous feelings , hatred . Bible , Ezekiel xxv . 6 all thy despite against the land of Israel 1599 , Much Ado About Nothing , by William Shakespeare , Act 1 Scene 1 DON PEDRO . Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty . ( archaic ) Action or behaviour displaying such feelings; an outrage , insult . 1485 , Thomas Malory, Le…
• English - Preposition: despite In spite of , notwithstanding . 1592–1609 , William Shakespeare , Sonnet III : So thou through windows of thine age shall see Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time . 1592–1609 , William Shakespeare , Sonnet XIX : Yet , do thy worst , old Time: despite thy wrong , My love shall in my verse ever live young . Derived terms despiteful Translations
• English - Verb: despite ( third-person singular simple present despites , present participle despiting , simple past and past participle despited ) ( obsolete ) To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously . (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir Walter Raleigh to this entry?)
• English - Alternative forms: despight ( obsolete )
• English - Etymology: From Old French despit , from Latin dēspectum ( “ looking down on ” ), from dēspicere ( “ to look down , despise ” ).