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Despair

//dɪˈspɛə(ɹ)// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency. countable, uncountable

    "He turned around in despair, aware that he was not going to survive."

  2. 2
    the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well wordnet
  3. 3
    That which causes despair. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent wordnet
  5. 5
    That which is despaired of. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of. obsolete, transitive

    "I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted."

  2. 2
    abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart wordnet
  3. 3
    To cause to despair. transitive

    "Thinking of what I was despairing about despaired me further"

  4. 4
    To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation. intransitive

    "We despaired even of life."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English dispeir, from Anglo-Norman despeir and Old French desperer (from Latin dēspērō, dēspērāre), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate. Displaced native Old English ormōdnes (“despair”) and Old English ortrīewan (“to despair”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English dispeir, from Anglo-Norman despeir and Old French desperer (from Latin dēspērō, dēspērāre), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate. Displaced native Old English ormōdnes (“despair”) and Old English ortrīewan (“to despair”).

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