Doubtful vs Despair - What's the difference?
doubtful | despair |
Subject to, or causing doubt
or showing doubt, sceptical
Undecided or of uncertain outcome
(obsolete) Fearsome, dreadful.
*, Bk.XIV, Ch.vii:
*:‘With whom,’ seyde Sir Percivale, ‘shall I fyght?’ ‘With the moste douteful champion of the worlde.’
Improbable or unlikely
Suspicious, or of dubious character
Unclear or unreliable
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=E.R. Eddison, title=The Worm Ouroboros
, passage=The pupils of her great eyes were large in the doubtful lamplight, swallowing their green fires in deep pools of mystery and darkness.}}
(obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
* Milton
(obsolete) To cause to despair.
To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.
* Bible, 2 Corinthians i. 8
Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
That which is despaired of.
As an adjective doubtful
is subject to, or causing doubt.As a verb despair is
(obsolete) to give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.As a noun despair is
loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.doubtful
English
Alternative forms
* doubtfull (archaic)Adjective
(en adjective)despair
English
Verb
(en verb)- I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted.
- We despaired even of life.
Noun
- He turned around in despair , aware that he was not going to survive