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Whilst vs Despite - What's the difference?

whilst | despite |

As a conjunction whilst

is while, at the same time.

As a noun despite is

disdain, contemptuous feelings, hatred.

As a preposition despite is

in spite of, notwithstanding.

As a verb despite is

to vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously.

whilst

English

Alternative forms

* whilest (obsolete) * whylst (obsolete) * whylest (obsolete)

Conjunction

(English Conjunctions)
  • (British, rare or literary in North America) While, at the same time.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=17 citation , passage=The face which emerged was not reassuring. It was blunt and grey, the nose springing thick and flat from high on the frontal bone of the forehead, whilst his eyes were narrow slits of dark in a tight bandage of tissue. […].}}

    Usage notes

    * Mostly restrained to use in . * Rare in North America and may be considered archaic, pedantic or pompous.

    Related terms

    * while

    References

    * (while) * *

    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

    *