intr.v. de·spaired, de·spair·ing, de·spairs 1. To lose all hope: despaired of reaching shore safely. 2. To be overcome by a sense of futility or defeat. n. 1. Complete loss of hope. 2. One despaired of or causing despair: unmotivated students that are the despair of their teachers. [Middle English despeiren, from Old French desperer, from Latin dēspērāre : dē-, de- + spērāre, to hope; see spē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots. N., from Middle English despeir, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French desperer, to despair.] |
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