Despond
/dɪˈspɒnd/noun
To lose confidence or hope; to become dejected.
Did you know?Despond comes from Latin *despondēre*, originally meaning “to pledge away” or “to give up in marriage,” and that same root later fed English words tied to formal promises and deep obligation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spend-
“to perform a ritual offering or make a solemn pledge”
Latin
Latin
spondēre
“to promise solemnly, to pledge”
Latin
Latin
dē- + spondēre
“to release from a pledge; to abandon hope or commitment”
Middle French
Old French
despondre
“to lose heart, despair”
Late Middle English
English
desponden
“to lose confidence or become disheartened”
Modern English
English
despond
“to become dejected or lose hope”
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