Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • preposition Notwithstanding; in spite of.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In spite of; notwithstanding.
  • noun Ill-will; spite.
  • To defy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To defy.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French : mal-, mau-, bad; see mal– + gre, liking, pleasure (from Latin grātum, from neuter of grātus, pleasing; see gwerə- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman malgré, from mal ("bad") + gre ("pleasure", "grace") (from Old French, from Latin gratum)

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Examples

  • Nevertheless, such were the Charms of the young Favorella, that maugre all the oppositions of Reason and Interest, he was forced to comply with this Passion, in the Espousing her.

    The Lining of the Patch-Work Screen 2008

  • Nevertheless, such were the Charms of the young Favorella, that maugre all the oppositions of Reason and Interest, he was forced to comply with this Passion, in the Espousing her.

    The Lining of the Patch-Work Screen 2008

  • So it behoveth thee to be joyful hereat and contented, for that I am become to thee as a son, maugre my more of age, an thou to me as a dear father, despite thy tenderness of years, and it hath become incumbent on me to do mine utmost endeavour in all thou commandest me.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

  • Jupiter out of heaven, but all they together could not stir him, and yet he could draw and turn them as he would himself; maugre all the force and fury of these infernal fiends, and crying sins,

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Nature says, — he is my creature, and maugre all his impertinent griefs, he shall be glad with me.

    Nature 2006

  • For the mountaynes ben so hye and so streghte up, that thei moste abyde there, maugre hire myghte.

    The Voyages and Travels of Sir John Mandeville 2004

  • But great number of folk ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up, that they must abide there, maugre their might.

    The Travels of Sir John Mandeville 2004

  • And the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from that rock, she cast him into the sea.

    The Travels of Sir John Mandeville 2004

  • Master Tressilian, I shall proceed, maugre all the gibes and quips of this valiant soldier, who, peradventure, hath had more cuffs than crowns in the

    Kenilworth 2004

  • The irregular appearance and vanishing of these small parties of horsemen, as well as the confusion occasioned by those who endeavoured, though generally without effect, to press to the front through the crowd of Highlanders, maugre their curses, oaths, and opposition, added to the picturesque wildness what it took from the military regularity of the scene.

    Waverley 2004

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  • I through the ample Air in Triumph high

    Shall lead Hell Captive maugre Hell, and show

    The powers of darkness bound.

    Milton, Paradise Lost III

    December 18, 2006

  • I first saw this word used by RW Emerson: "Nature says--he is my creature, and maugre all his impertinent griefts, he shall be glad to see me."

    December 26, 2006

  • "Well, said the seven knights, sithen ye say so, there shall never lady nor knight pass this castle but they shall abide maugre their heads, or die therefor, till that knight be come by whom we shall lose this castle."

    - Thomas Malory, 'The Holy Grail'.

    September 8, 2009