Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Notwithstanding
Notˊwith-stand′ing
,p
rep.
Without prevention, or obstruction from or by; in spite of.
We gentil women bee
Loth to displease any wight,
Loth to displease any wight,
Notwithstanding
our great right. Chaucer’s Dream.
Those on whom Christ bestowed miraculous cures were so transported that their gratitude made them,
notwithstanding
his prohibition, proclaim the wonders he had done. Dr. H. More.
☞ Notwithstanding was, by Johnson and Webster, viewed as a participle absolute, an English equivalent of the Latin non obstante. Its several meanings, either as preposition, adverb, or conjunction, are capable of being explained in this view. Later grammarians, while admitting that the word was originally a participle, and can be treated as such, prefer to class it as a preposition or disjunctive conjunction.
Notˊwith-stand′ing
,adv.
or conj.
[Originally the participle of
withstand
, with not
prefixed.] Nevertheless; however; although;
as, I shall go,
. notwithstanding
it rainsI will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
Notwithstanding
, in thy days I will not do it. 1 Kings xi. 11, 12.
They which honor the law as an image of the wisdom of God himself, are,
notwithstanding
, to know that the same had an end in Christ. Hooker.
You did wisely and honestly too,
She is the greatest beauty in the parish.
notwithstanding
She is the greatest beauty in the parish.
Fielding.
Notwithstanding that
, notwithstanding; although.
These days were ages to him,
notwithstanding that
he was basking in the smiles of the pretty Mary. W. Irving.
Webster 1828 Edition
Notwithstanding
NOTWITHSTAND'ING
, the participle of withstand, with not prefixed, and signifying not opposing; nevertheless. It retains in all cases its participial signification. For example, 'I will surely rend the knigdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant; notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it, for david thy father's sake.' 1 Kings 11. In this passage there is an ellipsis of that, after notwithstanding. That refers to the former part of the sentence, I will rend the kingdom from thee; notwithstanding that (declaration or determination,) in thy days I will not do it. in this and in all cases, notwithstanding, either with or without that or this, constitutes the case absolute or independent.'It is a rainy day, but notwithstanding that, the troops must be reviewed; ' that is, the rainy day not opposing or preventing. That, in this case, is a substitute for the whole first clause of the sentence. It is to that clause what a relative is to an antecedent noun, and which may be used in the place of it; notwithstanding which, that is, the rainy day.
'Christ enjoined on his followers not to publish the cures he wrought; but notwithstanding his injunctions, they proclaimed them.' Here, notwithstanding his injunctions, is the case independent or absolute; the injunctions of Christ not opposing or preventing.
This word answers precisely to the latin non obstante, and both are used with nouns or with substitutes for nouns, for sentences or for clauses of sentences. So in the Latin phrase, hoc non obstante, hoc may refer to a single word, to a sentence or to a series of sentences.
Definition 2024
notwithstanding
notwithstanding
English
Alternative forms
- noughtwithstanding (obsolete and rare)
Adverb
notwithstanding (not comparable)
- Nevertheless, all the same.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, i 4:
- But notwithstanding, man,
I'll do you your master what good I can;
- But notwithstanding, man,
- For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:notwithstanding.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, i 4:
Synonyms
- (nevertheless): all the same, nevertheless, nonetheless, still, anyway, after all, regardless, yet, but
Translations
never the less — see nevertheless
Conjunction
notwithstanding
- Although.
- 1724, Daniel Defoe, Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress, ch. 30:
- Upon which Amy had said, that notwithstanding I was angry with her and had used her so hardly for saying something about her of the same kind, yet there was an absolute necessity of securing her and removing her out of the way;
- For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:notwithstanding.
- 1724, Daniel Defoe, Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress, ch. 30:
Usage notes
- The conjunction is sometimes expressed in the form notwithstanding that, as in "the front was nearly four miles in advance, notwithstanding that the men marched three abreast" (Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, ch. 49. See citations page.).
Translations
although
Preposition
notwithstanding
- In spite of, despite.
- 2014, Richard Rae, "Manchester United humbled by MK Dons after Will Grigg hits double", The Guardian, 26 August 2014:
- Van Gaal’s dismissal of his ability to play a central role notwithstanding, Shinji Kagawa began playing just behind the strikers Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernández.
- Dr. H. More
- Those on whom Christ bestowed miraculous cures were so transported that their gratitude made them, notwithstanding his prohibition, proclaim the wonders he had done.
- 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans, ch. 26:
- Notwithstanding the high resolution of Hawkeye he fully comprehended all the difficulties and danger he was about to incur.
- 1679 — Habeas Corpus Act, section 11
- And be it declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that an Habeas Corpus, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, may be directed and seen in any county Palatine, the Cinque Ports, or other privileged places within the Kindgom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, and the islands of Jersey and Guernsey; any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.
- For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:notwithstanding.
- 2014, Richard Rae, "Manchester United humbled by MK Dons after Will Grigg hits double", The Guardian, 26 August 2014:
Usage notes
- Often used postpositionally.
Synonyms
- (in spite of): despite, in spite of, maugre
Translations
in spite of
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Derived terms
- notwithstanding clause (Canada)
Noun
notwithstanding (plural notwithstandings)
- An instance of the word "notwithstanding", often characteristic of legalese.
- 2003, Banesh Hoffmann, The Tyranny of Testing (page 53)
- It is not for nothing that our language has its ifs and buts, its yets and howevers, its neverthelesses and notwithstandings, its possiblies and probablies and perhapses, and its on-the-other-hands.
- 2004, Trevor Carolan, Down in the Valley: Writing in British Columbia (page 107)
- Letters from the English usually contained very formally typed documents with lots of heretofores and whereases and notwithstandings.
- 2010, Richard Marcinko, Red Cell (page 149)
- The agreements were filled with wheretofores and herebys and hereafters and notwithstandings.
- 2003, Banesh Hoffmann, The Tyranny of Testing (page 53)