Etimology
The noun is from Middle English despit, dispit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectum (“looking down on”), from dēspiciō (“to look down, despise”). The preposition is from Middle English dispit, from the phrase in dispit of (in despite of).
preposition
despite
In spite of, notwithstanding.
Examples
So thou through windowes of thine age ſhalt ſee,Diſpight of wrinkles this thy goulden time.
Yet doe thy worſt old Time diſpight thy wrong,My loue ſhall in my verſe euer liue young.
The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage.
Despite personal schisms and differences in spiritual experience, there is a very coherent theology of Snape shared between the wives. To examine this manifestation of religious fandom, I will first discuss the canon scepticism and anti-Rowling sentiment that helps to contextualise the wider belief in Snape as a character who extends beyond book and film.
Related words
synonyms
in spite of, maugre; see also Thesaurus:despite
noun
despite (countable and uncountable, plural despites)
(obsolete) Disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred.
(archaic) Action or behaviour displaying such feelings; an outrage, insult.
Evil feeling; malice, spite, annoyance.
Examples
A fals double tunge is more fiers and fellThen Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel;Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write,Of fals double tunges in the diſpite.
Thou waſt euer an obſtinate heretique in the deſpight of Beautie.
all thy despite against the land of Israel
he aſked kynge Arthur yf he wold gyue hym leue to ryde after Balen and to reuenge the deſpyte that he had done Doo your beſt ſaid Arthur I am right wroth ſaid Balen I wold he were quyte of the deſpyte that he hath done to me and to my Courte
a deſpite done againſt the Moſt High
How often am I obliged to speak mal à propos, because my features are not sufficiently charming in a state of repose!—how often is my ingenuity racked to find a word, when a look would have been far better! I am compelled to be amusing, in my own despite.
And for these Corcyraeans—neither receive them into alliance in our despite, nor be their abettors in crime.
Etimology
From Middle English despite, dispite, dyspite, dyspyte, from Old French despitier.
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.
Examples
to despite his opposites