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Despair
(De*spair") (?), v. i.
[imp. & p. p. Despaired (?); p. pr. &
vb. n. Despairing.]
[OE. despeiren, dispeiren, OF. desperer, fr. L.
desperare; de- + sperare to hope; akin to spes
hope, and perh. to spatium space, E. space, speed;
cf. OF. espeir hope, F. espoir. Cf. Prosper, Desperate.]
To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation; --
often with of. "We despaired even of life." 2 Cor.
i. 8. "Never despair of God's blessings here." Wake.
Synonyms -- See Despond.
Despair (De*spair"), v. t.
1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair
of. [Obs.] "I would not despair the greatest design that
could be attempted." Milton.
2. To cause to despair. [Obs.] Sir W. Williams.
Despair (De*spair"), n.
[Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.]
1.
Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency. "We in dark
dreams are tossing to and fro, Pine with regret, or sicken with despair."
Keble. "Before he [Bunyan] was ten, his sports were
interrupted by fits of remorse and despair." Macaulay.
2. That which is despaired of. "The mere despair
of surgery he cures." Shak.
Synonyms -- Desperation; despondency; hopelessness. |