Webster's English Dictionary

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despair

1. de.spair \di-'spa(*)r, -'spe(*)r\ vb [ME despeiren, fr. MF desperer, fr. 
   L desperare, fr. de-X + sperare to hope : to lose all hope or confidence  
   obs  : to lose hope for 
2. despair n : utter loss of hope or a cause of such loss