To become dispirited or despondent; to lose heart or courage.
From 'dis-' + 'pond' (possibly from Latin 'spondere,' to pledge or promise, or influenced by 'despondent'). This is an archaic variant expressing loss of spirit or determination.
This verb is almost extinct in modern English, having been largely replaced by 'despond,' but it survives in medieval literature as a delightfully melancholic word meaning to sink into hopelessness.
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