malgré lui

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French malgré (“against”) and French lui (“him”).

Adverb

malgré lui (not comparable)

1. Contrary to their desires or ambitions.
   • 1977, John Halperin, Trollope and Politics: A Study of the Pallisers and Others, page 257:

     […] and he pities "that class of young ladies who malgré lui are bound to fall in love with these wooden specimens of youthful manhood."