different between wretchedness vs despair

English

Etymology

wretched +? -ness

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???t??dn?s/
• Hyphenation: wretch?ed?ness

Noun

wretchedness (usually uncountable, plural wretchednesses)

1. An unhappy state of mental or physical suffering.
   • 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, chapter 3

     She saw only that he was quiet and unobtrusive, and she liked him for it. He did not disturb the wretchedness of her mind by ill-timed conversation.

2. A state of prolonged misfortune, privation, or anguish.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English dispeir, from Anglo-Norman despeir and Old French desperer (from Latin despero, desperare), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d??sp??(?)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d??sp???/
• Hyphenation: des?pair

Verb

despair (third-person singular simple present despairs, present participle despairing, simple past and past participle despaired)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To cause to despair.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir W. Williams to this entry?)

3. (intransitive, often with “of”) To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.

Translations

Noun

despair (countable and uncountable, plural despairs)

1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.

   He turned around in despair, aware that he was not going to survive

2. That which causes despair.
3. That which is despaired of. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Synonyms

• desperation
• despondency
• hopelessness

Antonyms

• hope

Translations

Anagrams

• Piedras, aperids, aspired, diapers, praised, pre-AIDS