despair

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman despeir, from Old French desperer (from Latin despero, desperare), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈspɛə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈspɛəɹ/

• Audio (US)

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despair (third-person singular simple present despairs, present participle despairing, simple past and past participle despaired)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton

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

2. (transitive, obsolete) To cause to despair.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir W. Williams to this entry?)

3. (intransitive, often with “of”) To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Bible, 2 Corinthians i. 8

     We despaired even of life.

despair (countable and uncountable, plural despairs)

1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.

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

2. That which causes despair.
3. That which is despaired of. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

• desperation
• despondency
• hopelessness

• hope

• Piedras, aperids, aspired, diapers, praised, pre-AIDS