▪ I. disappoint, v.
(dɪsəˈpɔɪnt)
Also 5–6 disapoynte, 6 disapoincte, -apoint, -apoynt, -appoynte, dys-.
[ad. F. désappointer (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. des- (dis- 4) + appointer to appoint. See also dispoint.]
1. trans. To undo the appointment of; to deprive of an appointment, office, or possession; to dispossess, deprive. Obs. (exc. as nonce-wd.)
| [1489 see dispoint.] 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 582 A monarch..hath power..to appoint or to disappoint the greatest officers. 1824 Byron Juan xvi. lxxv, He would keep it Till duly disappointed or dismiss'd. 1869 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. xi. 6 God's Anointed is appointed, and shall not be disappointed. |
2. a. To frustrate the expectation or desire of (a person); to defeat, balk, or deceive in fulfilment of desire. Const. † of, in, with. Also absol., to cause disappointment.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxxiv. 270 He, contrary his promyse, dyd disapoynte them, and nothynge ayded them. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions Ded. 4 Neuer disapointed of honourable successe. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece ii. ii. (1715) 183 [They] were miserably disappointed of their expectations. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones x. iii, Disappointed in the woman whom..he had mistaken for his wife. 1821 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iii. iv. 128, I..first was disappointed not to see Such mighty change as I had felt within Expressed in outward things. 1839 T. Beale Nat. Hist. Sperm Whale 204, I was much disappointed with its appearance. 1842 Lever J. Hinton ix, The Duke has disappointed so often, that he is sure to go now. 1881 Mrs. J. H. Riddell Senior Partner xxxii, I shall look out for you at Waterloo at a quarter to five, and trust you will not disappoint. c 1897 Mod. I should be sorry to disappoint you. If they rely on him, he will be sure to disappoint them. 1927 Daily Tel. 3 May 16 Innuendo [sc. a racehorse] has disappointed in the past when fancied. 1966 Listener 13 Oct. 549/3 Ormandy's CBS album of the Berlioz Requiem.., of which I had high hopes, disappoints. |
† b. To defeat (of action, effort, etc.). Obs.
| 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lxv. 132 Howbeit to disappoint them of their suttle dealing. 1587 Golding De Mornay x. (1617) 149 The Adamant or Lodestone..is disappointed of his force by Garlicke. |
† 3. To break off (what has been appointed or fixed); to fail to keep or comply with (an engagement); to fail to fulfil an appointment with (a person). Cf. appoint v. 3. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 517/1, I disapoynte, I breake a poyntement with a person. 1542 Henry VIII Declar. Scots 193 The..metyng was not onely disappoynted, but..an inuasion made..into our realme. 1581 York Bakers' Guild §39 in Archæol. Rev. (1888) May, If any jurneyman..dothe promise anie maister to come and helpe him to bake at tyme appointed, and..go to an other to worke, and disapoint the maister. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 363 So as to put off and disappoint the day which he had set. |
4. a. To undo or frustrate anything appointed or determined; to defeat the realization or fulfilment of (plans, purposes, intentions); to balk, foil, thwart (anticipations, hopes, etc.).
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 99/2 Not y{supt} any mortall men can disappoint that which God hath established from heauen. 1611 Bible Prov. xv. 22 Without counsell, purposes are disappointed. 1689 C. Hatton in H. Corr. (1878) II. 133 Y{supt} fatall resolution..hath disapointed y⊇ delivery of y{supr} letter. 1715–20 Pope Iliad vii. 304 The wary Trojan shrinks, and, bending low Beneath his buckler, disappoints the blow. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Lady Rich 16 Mar., I can answer without disappointing your expectations. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 433 On purpose that the testator's intention should be wholly frustrated, and that the tenant for life should be under a temptation to disappoint the will. 1832 H. Martineau Homes Abroad ix, The junction of penal with voluntary emigration tends..to disappoint the purposes of the one, and to extinguish the benefits of the other. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 165 This ambitious hope Louvois was bent on disappointing. 1873 F. Hall in Scribner's Mag. VI. 466/2 Nor is this expectation frequently disappointed. |
† b. To undo, destroy, overthrow. Obs.
| 1611 Cotgr., Desbraquer, to vnplant, or dismount artillerie; to wry, or disappoint the leuell thereof. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 311 All those curious and wealthy Trades of them who worke in fine flaxe..Shall be utterly undone and disappointed. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 135 ¶1 They endeavour to disappoint the good works of the most learned..of men. 1712 tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs I. 26 Disappointing all the ill Effects of the Viperine poison. |
† 5. To appoint, equip, or accoutre improperly. Cf. appoint 15. Obs.
| 1587 Golding De Mornay i. 7 In painting thy Pictures thou doest not so disapoint thy selfe. |
▪ II. † disaˈppoint, n. Obs. rare.
[f. prec. vb.]
The act of disappointing; disappointment.
| 1642 Rogers Naaman 267 The more desirable the object, the greater the disappoint. a 1656 Bp. Hall Soliliquies 45 There is nothing more troublesome in human Society than the disappoint of trust and failing of friends. |