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Amidst vs Despite - What's the difference?

amidst | despite |

As prepositions the difference between amidst and despite

is that amidst is in the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among while despite is in spite of, notwithstanding.

As a noun despite is

disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred.

As a verb despite is

to vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously.

amidst

English

Alternative forms

* amidest (obsolete) * amiddst (qualifier) * amiddest (obsolete) * amydst (obsolete) * amyddst (qualifier) * amyddest (qualifier)

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among.
  • * 1748 . David Hume. Enquiries Concerning the Human Understanding and Concerning the Principles of Morals. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 4.
    • Be a philosopher ; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
  • * 1912 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
    • Not so, however, with Tarzan, the man-child. His life amidst the dangers of the jungle had taught him to meet emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers of the apes.

    Synonyms

    * amid * among * amongst

    Usage notes

    As with other words with excrescent suffix , amidst is generally considered synonymous with simpler amid, and amid is preferred by style guides on both sides of the Atlantic. TimesOnline], [http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/w The Guardian] and [http://www.hansard.ca/styleguide.pdf Hansard (Canadian parliament) Further, amidst /amid'' are similar in meaning to – but distinct from – ''amongst''/''among''. ''Amid]](st)'' denotes that something is "in the midst of", "surrounded by" other things, and is used when the idea of separate things is not prominent. ''[[among, Among(st)'' denotes that something is mingling with other separable things ("blessed art thou among women").

    References

    Anagrams

    *

    despite

    English

    Alternative forms

    * despight (obsolete)

    Noun

    (-)
  • (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),
  • *:DON PEDRO. Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty.
  • (archaic) Action or behaviour displaying such feelings; an outrage, insult.
  • *:
  • *: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
  • *Milton
  • *:a despite done against the Most High
  • Evil feeling; malice, spite.

    • Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • 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.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=7 citation , passage=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.}}

    Derived terms

    * despiteful

    Verb

    (despit)
  • (obsolete) To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously.
    • (Sir Walter Raleigh)

    Anagrams

    *