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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,
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 c
onj.
[Originally the participle of
withstand
, with
not
prefixed.]
Nevertheless; however; although;
as, I shall go,
notwithstanding
it rains
.
I 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,
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.

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