désespérer

Forms

désespérer^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French dés- + espérer.^[2][1][3] The second part is from Latin spērō (“to hope”).^[4] In the Middle Ages desperer was also common, after Latin dēspērō.^[4][2][1]

Cognate with Occitan desesperar, Spanish desesperar and Italian disperare.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Wace's Roman de Brut (1155) has it as a noun infinitive in the sense of losing hope.^[6][3]

Semantic evolution

Soon after, it was used transitively: the participle desesperez “plunged in despair” appears about 1170 in the Quatre livres des Rois, and Chrétien de Troyes uses it about 1175 for driving someone to despair.^[6][3] The participle désespéré came to describe what leaves no hope (about 1206), then what despair dictates and so “extreme” (1558), and by exaggeration “annoyed” (1662, Molière's École des femmes).^[6][3]

From 1580 (Montaigne) désespérer de quelqu'un meant to expect nothing more of a person.^[6][3] désespérant dates from 1671 and désespérément from about 1180.^[3]

Timeline

• 1155 – Wace uses it for losing hope.^[6][4]
• c. 1170 – The participle means “plunged in despair”.^[6][3]
• c. 1175 – Chrétien de Troyes uses it for driving someone to despair.^[6][3]
• c. 1206 – Désespéré describes what leaves no hope.^[6][3]
• 1580 – Montaigne writes désespérer de for expecting nothing of someone.^[6]
• 1662 – Molière uses désespéré for “irritated”.^[6][3]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense “to discourage”.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive) To lose all hope, to despair: il ne faut jamais désespérer.^[7][5]
2. Désespérer de: to lose hope of something or of doing it.^[7][8]
3. Désespérer de quelqu'un: to expect nothing more of a person, or to think a sick person beyond saving.^[5][6]
4. (transitive) To drive to despair, or to dishearten someone.^[5][6]
5. Se désespérer: to give way to despair.^[5]

Word family

• désespéré
• désespérément
• désespérant

Related words

• espérer
• désespoir
• désespérance
• Latin spērō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse