despond
/dɪˈspɒnd/ verb, noun
Forms desponds desponding desponded
- verb (intransitive) To give up the will, courage, or spirit; to become dejected, lose heart.
- noun (archaic) Despondency.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin dēspondeō (“give up, abandon”), from dē (“from”) + spondeō (“promise”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To give up, the will, courage, or spirit; to be thoroughly disheartened; to lose all courage; to become dispirited or depressed; to take an unhopeful view.
- Despondency. [Obs.]
Etymology [L. despond, desponsum, to promise away, promise in marriage, give up, to lose (courage); de- + spond to promise solemnly. See Sponsor.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “despond”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details