despite (oneself)

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despite (oneself)

Despite one not wanting or intending to. I enjoyed our walk but had to sit down despite myself because my knee started bothering me. I left the party despite myself, believe me—it was only because I had a 6:00 AM wake-up call the next day. Ugh, that guy just brings out the worst in me. I got into a shouting match with him despite myself.
See also: despite
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

despite yourself

used to indicate that you did not intend to do the thing mentioned.
1995 Ginu Kamani Junglee Girl Sahil chuckled, despite himself.
See also: despite
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive ?
Almost despite oneself, one wills him to succeed, at least once, and so is kept turning the pages.
To visit the opening night of this exhibition is to be sternly reminded of economics despite oneself. My first experience of this began in a small room, the site of a curious installation.
(3) The Levinasian ethical encounter involves being-towards-the-other despite oneself, adding an element of terror that Zizek does not here acknowledge.
To give, to-be-for-the-other, despite oneself but in interrupting the for-oneself is to take the bread out of one's own mouth, to nourish the hunger of the other with one's own fasting.
Despite oneself, getting old does something to the mind.