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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. Preface to 1828 Dictionary
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DESPOND, v.i.[L. To promise; literally, to throw to or forward.]
Note. The distinction between despair and despond is well marked in the foregoing passage from Scott. But although despair implies a total loss of hope, which despond does not, at least in every case, yet despondency is followed by the abandonment of effort, or cessation of action, and despair sometimes impelss to violent action, even to rage.
To give up the will, courage, or spirit; to be
thoroughly disheartened; to lose all courage; to become dispirited or
depressed; to take an unhopeful view.
I should despair, or at least despond. Scott's Letters. Others depress their own minds, [and] despond at the first difficulty. Locke. We wish that . . . desponding patriotism may turn its eyes hitherward, and be assured that the foundations of our national power still stand strong. D. Webster. Syn. -- Despond, Dispair. Despair implies a total loss of hope, which despond does not, at least in every case; yet despondency is often more lasting than despair, or than desperation, which impels to violent action. Despondency.
[Obs.]
The slough of despond. Bunyan. | ||||||||