1. U 绝望　complete loss of hope or confidence
2. C U 使人绝望的人〔事物　〕 sth or sb that causes this feeling

　despair　的基本意思是“绝望”，引申可指“使人绝望的人〔事物〕”。in despair意为“绝望地”，可用作表语，也可用作状语。

　Defeat after defeat filled us with despair.　一次又一次的失败使我们完全绝望了。
　The boy is the despair of his teachers.　老师们认为这孩子已无可救药。
　He was in despair of ever being able to pay off his debts.　他对自己能够清偿债务已不抱任何希望。

　vi.　绝望 be in despair about

　～ hardly〔nearly〕　几乎绝望
　～ deeply　深为绝望
　～ at sth　对…感到灰心丧气
　～ for　对…感到绝望
　～ of　对…绝望；对…感到担心

　Don't abandon yourself to despair.　不要悲观失望。
　She has despaired deeply.　她已深为绝望。
　Even though all her family and financial troubles, Margaret never gave way to despair.　即使因为家庭和经济发生困难，玛格丽特也从来没有悲观失望过。
　Do not despair, things will get better soon!　不要绝望，情况会很快好起来的。
　In all things, it is better to hope than to despair.　在任何情况下，抱有希望总比绝望强。
　So long as you help me, I shall never despair.　只要有你帮助我，我是决不会灰心丧气的。
　She despaired at the thought of it.　一想到这件事她就心灰意冷。

 ♣ despair of　(v.+prep.)
1. 对…绝望，不抱希望 be without hope of (sth or doing sth)
　He despaired of his future.　他对他的将来不抱希望。
　Don't despair of success; where there's a will, there's a way.　别悲观失望，有志者事竟成。
　He did not despair of victory in the end.　他没有失去最后赢得胜利的信心。
　We should never despair of success.　我们切勿对成功丧失信心。
　The patient's life was despaired of, all hope that he would live was lost.　此病人已病入膏肓，救活无望。
　The doctor despaired of saving the child's life.　医生对救活这孩子已失去了信心。
　She had despaired of completing her thesis.　她对完成论文已失去了信心。
　They despaired of winning the game.　他们不抱比赛得胜的希望。
2. 对（某人，尤其对其行为）感到十分焦急，担心 feel very anxious about (sb), especially as regards his behaviour
　I despair of those children.　我对那些孩子十分担心。

 ♣ despair, disappoint
　参见disappoint条。

　despair　后面如需跟非谓语动词，须跟"of+动名词”，不可跟动词不定式。例如：

　［同义词］ n. discouragement, hopelessness
　［反义词］ n. hope, joy
　［词源］古法语desperer（绝望）