WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : De*spair"
Part of Speech : v.
Etymology : [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.]
Definition : Defn: 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.

i. [imp. & p. p. Despaired; p. pr. & vb. n. Despairing.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : De*spair"
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : 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.

t.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : De*spair"
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.]
Definition : 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.

Syn. -- Desperation; despondency; hopelessness.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913