de|spair

de|spair: de|spair «dih SPAIR», noun, verb.

–n.

1. the loss of hope; state of being without hope; a dreadful feeling that nothing good can happen: »Despair seized us as we felt the boat sinking under us.
SYNONYM(S): hopelessness.

2. a person or thing that causes despair: »Her temper tantrums were the despair of her parents.

–v.i.

to lose hope; be without hope: »The doctors despaired of saving the sick man's life.

–v.t.

Archaic. to give up hope of.

╂[< Old French despoir < desperer to despair < Latin dēspērāre < dē- without, out of + spērāre to hope]

–de|spair´er, noun.

Synonym Study noun. 1 Despair, desperation mean hopelessness. Despair emphasizes loss of hope and usually suggests sinking into a state of discouragement: »In his despair over losing his job he fell in with bad companions.
Desperation suggests a recklessness that is caused by despair and is expressed in rash or frantic action as a last resort: »He had no job and no money, and in desperation robbed a bank.

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spair — obs. Sc. f. spare v.; obs. f. spear n.1 … Useful english dictionary
spair — de·spair·ful; de·spair·ing·ly; de·spair·ing·ness; de·spair; de·spair·ful·ly; … English syllables
Spair Airlines Flight PAR-3601 — Infobox Airliner accident|name=Spair Airlines Flight PAR 3601 Crash Image caption = Tail of IL 76T morning after the crash Date=August 19 1996 Origin= Ekaterinenburg,Russia Destination=Malta International Airport (IATA: LMML; ICAO: MLA)… … Wikipedia
de|spair´ing|ness — de|spair|ing «dih SPAIR ihng», adjective. feeling, showing, or expressing despair; hopeless: »a despairing cry. SYNONYM(S): See syn. under hopeless. (Cf. ↑hopeless) –de|spair´ing|ly, adverb. –de|spair´ing|ness, noun … Useful english dictionary
de|spair´ing|ly — de|spair|ing «dih SPAIR ihng», adjective. feeling, showing, or expressing despair; hopeless: »a despairing cry. SYNONYM(S): See syn. under hopeless. (Cf. ↑hopeless) –de|spair´ing|ly, adverb. –de|spair´ing|ness, noun … Useful english dictionary
de|spair|ing — «dih SPAIR ihng», adjective. feeling, showing, or expressing despair; hopeless: »a despairing cry. SYNONYM(S): See syn. under hopeless. (Cf. ↑hopeless) –de|spair´ing|ly, adverb. –de|spair´ing|ness, noun … Useful english dictionary
de|spair´ful|ly — de|spair|ful «dih SPAIR fuhl», adjective. full of despair; despairing. –de|spair´ful|ly, adverb … Useful english dictionary
de|spair|ful — «dih SPAIR fuhl», adjective. full of despair; despairing. –de|spair´ful|ly, adverb … Useful english dictionary
de|spair´er — de|spair «dih SPAIR», noun, verb. –n. 1. the loss of hope; state of being without hope; a dreadful feeling that nothing good can happen: »Despair seized us as we felt the boat sinking under us. SYNONYM(S): hopelessness. 2. a person or thing that… … Useful english dictionary
self-de|spair — «SEHLF dih SPAIR», noun. despair of oneself; a despairing view, as of one s character or prospects … Useful english dictionary

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de|spair

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de|spair

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