▪ I. despond, v.1
(dɪˈspɒnd)
[ad. L. dēspondē-re to give up, yield, resign, dēspondēre animum, later simply dēspondēre to lose heart, despond; f. de- I. 2 b + spondēre to promise. The form follows respond which came through French.]
intr. To lose heart or resolution; to become depressed or dejected in mind by loss of confidence or hope. (Distinguished from despair as not expressing entire hopelessness.) Sometimes with of (cf. to despair of).
| 1655 Cromwell Speech to Parlt. 22 Jan., I did not at all despond but the stop put upon you..would have made way for a blessing from God. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Despond ..also to fail in courage or despair. Lord Protectors Speech. 1696 Tate & Brady Ps. cxxvi. 6 Though he despond that sows the grain. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 819 The Learned Leaches..shake their Heads, desponding of their Art. 1765 H. Walpole Otranto v. (1798) 79, I thought it right not to let my young lady despond. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 686 The friends of the government desponded, and the chiefs of the opposition were sanguine. 1860 Lit. Churchman VI. 222/1 Are we, then, to despond of the victory? |
▪ II. † deˈspond, v.2 Obs.—0
[f. L. dēspondēre (see prec.) in sense ‘to promise in marriage, betroth, engage’.]
(See quot. Perh. never used in Eng.).
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Despond, to betroth or promise in marriage. Ibid., Despondency, a promise in marriage. |
▪ III. despond, n. arch.
(dɪˈspɒnd)
Also 7 dis-.
[f. despond v.1]
The act of desponding; despondency.
| 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 12 This Miry slough..called the Slough of Dispond [called p. 10 Slough of Dispondency]. 1684 Ibid. ii. 21 But when Christiana came up to the Slow of Despond, she began to be at a stand. Ibid. ii. 200 Our Disponds, and slavish Fears. |