despair Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    desperation.
    • in the depths of despair
    • they were rescued from despair at the last minute
    • courage born of desperation
  2. noun the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well
    • they moaned in despair and dismay
    • one harsh word would send her into the depths of despair
  3. verb abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart
    • Don't despair--help is on the way!

WordNet

De*spair" intransitive verb
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Despaired ; present participle & verbal noun Despairing
Definitions
  1. 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.
De*spair" transitive verb
Definitions
  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.
De*spair" noun
Etymology
Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913