'Despair' definitions:
Definition of 'despair'
From: WordNet
noun
A state in which all hope is lost or absent; "in the depths of despair"; "they were rescued from despair at the last minute"; "courage born of desperation" [syn: despair, desperation]
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" [ant: hope]
verb
Abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart; "Don't despair-- help is on the way!" [ant: hope]
Definition of 'Despair'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- We despaired even of life. --2 Cor. i. 8. [1913 Webster]
- Never despair of God's blessings here. --Wake.
- Syn: See Despond. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Despair'
From: GCIDE
- Despair \De*spair"\, v. t.
- 1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To cause to despair. [Obs.] --Sir W. Williams. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Despair'
From: GCIDE
- Despair \De*spair"\, n. [Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.]
- 1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency. [1913 Webster]
- We in dark dreams are tossing to and fro, Pine with regret, or sicken with despair. --Keble. [1913 Webster]
- Before he [Bunyan] was ten, his sports were interrupted by fits of remorse and despair. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
- 2. That which is despaired of. "The mere despair of surgery he cures." --Shak.
- Syn: Desperation; despondency; hopelessness. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'despair'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abandon,
- abandon hope,
- acedia,
- aching heart,
- agony,
- agony of mind,
- anguish,
- apathy,
- bale,
- become suicidal,
- bitterness,
- blank despondency,
- bleeding heart,
- broken heart,
- cave of despair,
- cave of Trophonius,
- crushing,
- death wish,
- dejectedness,
- dejection,
- depression,
- depth of misery,
- desolation,
- despair of,
- desperateness,
- desperation,
- despond,
- despondency,
- despondentness,
- disconsolateness,
- discouragement,
- disheartenment,
- dispiritedness,
- distress,
- down trip,
- downcastness,
- downer,
- downheartedness,
- droop,
- drooping spirits,
- drop,
- extremity,
- falter,
- forlornness,
- give up,
- give up hope,
- give way,
- gloom,
- gloominess,
- grief,
- heartache,
- heartlessness,
- heavy heart,
- hit rock bottom,
- hopelessness,
- infelicity,
- languish,
- lose heart,
- lose hope,
- low spirits,
- lowness,
- lowness of spirit,
- malaise,
- melancholia,
- melancholy,
- miserableness,
- misery,
- no exit,
- no way,
- no way out,
- oppression,
- pessimism,
- plumb the depths,
- prostration,
- quit,
- reach the depths,
- relinquish,
- renounce,
- resign,
- resignation,
- sadness,
- Schmerz,
- self-destructive urge,
- sink,
- sink into despair,
- sinking heart,
- sloth,
- Slough of Despond,
- spiritlessness,
- suicidal despair,
- surrender,
- taedium vitae,
- touch bottom,
- weariness of life,
- woe,
- wretchedness,
- yield,
- yield to despair