Despair - Dictionary Definition and Overview

Despair :  (noun)
1: a state in which everything seems wrong and will turn out badly; "they were rescued from despair at the last minute" [syn: desperation]
2: the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well [ant: hope] (verb)

1: abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart; "Don't despair--help is on the way!" [ant: hope]

Based on WordNet 2.0

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.

Syn: See Despond.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

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.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

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.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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