Middle English Dictionary Entry
desespeiren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | desespeiren v. Also desespairen & disespeiren, -espairen. |
| Etymology | OF desespeir-, tonic stem of desesper-er. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To lose hope, be discouraged, despair; of hope: fail; (b) ppl. discouraged, without hope; (c) ppl. deprived (of sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.6128 : O thou Pouert..Which that kepest the lawes off Nature, For sodeyn chaunges thou wilt nat disespaire.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.291 : Al good hope in hym gan disespaire; His grace, his myht gan pallen & appaire.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13942 : He that ys hangeman off helle, With the corde off desperacioun Hangeth all..That dysespeyre.
b
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4306 : And they..Disespeyred room [read: ronne] hom to the toun.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.912 : Somme of hem which stood disespeired I restored to ther dignite.
c
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3212 : But now, allas! my mater disespeyred Of alle Ioye..And destitut of myrth.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)7038 : As a Tigre he ys repeyred And of his pray eke disespeyred.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)7 : Sauf the deeth, ther may nothyng me lisse, So desespaired I am from alle blisse.