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Despite vs Meanwhile - What's the difference?

despite | meanwhile |

As nouns the difference between despite and meanwhile

is that despite is (obsolete) disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred while meanwhile is the time between two events.

As a preposition despite

is in spite of, notwithstanding.

As a verb despite

is (obsolete) to vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously.

As an adverb meanwhile is

during the time (that something is happening).

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

    *

    meanwhile

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The time between two events.

    • Adverb

    (-)
  • During the time (that something is happening).
  • At the same time, but elsewhere.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=19 citation , passage=Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.}}

    Synonyms

    * (during the time) meanwhilst * (at the same time but elsewhere) in the meantime, meantime, meanwhilst, the while

    Quotations

    * 1955 March 1, Winston Churchill, From his last major speech in the House of Commons : *: The day may dawn when fair play, love for one's fellow men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell. Meanwhile , never flinch, never weary, never despair.