despatch 
To-day we shall have our despatch, 
On Saturday we will return to France. 
SAot., L. L. L., Iv. 1. 
Bearer of despatches, a person employed, either spe- 
cially or regularly, in cunveying olncial despatches, as be- 
tween a government nnd Its foreign envoys, or to or from 
a military or naval commander. -Happy despatch, a 
humorous name given to the form of judicial suicide 
known iimuiii,' the .htp;im'.ir iw hara-kiri. Pneumatic 
despatch. *<! /"" >n,iatic. 
despatch-boat (des-pach'bot), n. A govern- 
ment vessel for the conveyance of despatches. 
despatch-box (des-pach'boks), n. A box or 
case in which official despatches are carried by 
a special messenger. 
despatcher, dispatcher (des-, dis-pach'er), n. 
One who despatches: as, a train-dispatcher; a 
Ta&il-despatclier. 
despatchfult, dispatchfult (des-, dis-pach'ful), 
a. [< despatch, dispatch, + -ful, l.J Marked 
by or exercising despatch ; energetic ; speedy. 
Fall like a secret and despatchful plague 
On your secured comforts. 
MiddMon, Trick to Catch the Old One, II. 2. 
So saying, with dispntchful looks In haste 
She tunis, on hospitable thoughts intent, 
What choice to choose for delicacy best. 
Milton, P. L., v. 331. 
Let one dispatchful bid some swain to lead 
A well-fed bullock from the grassy mead. Pope. 
despatch-tube (des-pach'tub). . The tube 
or pipe of a pneumatic despatch sj 
pneumatic. 
despecificate (de-spe-sif'i-kat), v. t. ; pret. and 
pp. despecificated, r>pr. despecificatiiig. [< de- 
priv. + specificate^] To change the specific 
use or meaning of ; make specifically different ; 
differentiate. [Bare.] 
Inaptitude and ineptitude have been usefully despecifi- 
I.M;.-, 
2. Without care for safety; extremely rash; 
reckless from despair, passion, or ferocity : as, 
:i ilrn/H'rate man. 
Proceed not to this combat. Be'st thou detperatt 
Of thine own life? yet, dearest, pity mine! 
Fletcher (and another). Love's Cure, v. 3. 
Supposing that it was a Malaya Vessel, he ordered the 
men not to go aboard, for they are accounted desperate 
Fellows. Dumpier, Voyages, I. 401. 
And when the pibroch bids the battle rave. 
And level for the charge your arms are laid, 
Where lives the desperate foe that for such onset staid ? 
Scott. 
3. Done or resorted to without regard to con- 
sequences, or in the last extremity; showing 
despair or recklessness ; extremely hazardous : 
as, a i/r.'.'/imffr' undertaking; desperate remedies. 
Som new disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond 
[foolish] in faclou. Ascham, The Scholeinaster, p. 54. 
Beware of detperatt steps. The darkest day, 
Live till to-morrow, will have passed away. 
Coicper, Needless Alarm. 
His enthusiasm, barred from the career which It would 
have selected for itself, seems to have found a vent in 
desperate levity. Macaulay, Machiavelli. 
The highest results are often accomplished by those who 
work with desperate energy, quite regardless of self. 
J. FMe, Evolutionist, p. 322. 
l ; and only the latter now Imports "folly." 
F. Hall, Mod. Eng., p. 305. 
despecification (de-spes"i-fi-ka'shpn), n. [< de- 
specificate : see -ation.] Change of specific use 
or meaning; differentiation. [Rare.] 
It Is their despecification not the words themselves 
that belongs to our period. 
F. Hall, Mod. Eng., p. 306, note. 
despect (de-spekf), n. [< L. despectus, a look- 
ing down upon, contempt, < despicere, pp. de- 
spectus, look down upon : see despise ; and cf. 
despite, a doublet of despect.] Despection; con- 
tempt. Coleridge. [Bare.] 
despectant(de-spek'tant),a. [< \j.despectan(t-)s, 
ppr. of (lespec'tare, look down upon : see despite, 
.] In her., looking downward; having the 
head bent downward: said of an animal used 
as a bearing. Also dejectant. 
despection (<le-spek'shon), n. [= OP. despec- 
tion, < L. despe'ctio(n-), < despicere, pp. despectus, 
look down upon, despise : see despise.'] A look- 
ing down upon; contempt; disdain. [Bare.] 
They who take either of these guides, reason or grace, 
to carry them up to this clitf of meditation, may cast down 
their thoughts in a calm detection of all those shining 
attractions which they see to be so transitory. 
II". Muntayue, Dcvoute Essays, I. xlx. 6. 
despencet, An obsolete form of dispense. 
despendt, c. t. See dispcml. 
despenset, An obsolete form of dispense. 
desperado (des-pe-ra'do), n. ; pi. desperados or 
-does (-doz). [< OSp. desperado, < L. desperatus, 
pp., desperate : see desperate.] A desperate or 
reckless man ; one urged by furious passions ; 
one habituated to lawless deeds either for him- 
self or for others. 
This dismal tragedy, perpetrated not by any private 
desperadoes of that faction. 
The Cloak in its Colours, p. 9 (1679). 
A frowzy desperado, shaggy as a bison, in a red shirt and 
jack- boots, hnng about the waist with an assortment of six- 
shootersand lm\vic knives. T. If inthrop, Love and Skates. 
With a cool, professionally murderous look, like that of 
our border desperadoes. Lathrop, Spanish Vistas, p. 26. 
desperancet, [ME., also desperaunce, < OF. 
i/n-'licrancc, desixtrance (also desesperanee, F. 
desesperanee) (= It. desperanza, disperanza), < 
ili'uperer, despair: see despair, .] Despera- 
tion; despair. 
I am in tristesse all amldde 
And fulfilled of desperaunce. 
Qamr, Conf. Amant., 11.119. 
desperate (des'pe-rat), a. [= D. desperaat = 
G. Dan. Sw. desperat = OF. despere = OSp. 
desperado = It. dis])crato, < L. desperatus, pp. 
of desperare, be without hope, despair: see 
despair, .] If. Having no nope; hopeless; 
despairing. 
I am desperate of obtaining her. ShaJt., T. O. of V., ill. 2. 
May he not be desperate of his own merit to think himself 
the only exiled abject, banished from out the acceptance 
of u lady's favour? Ford, Honour Triumphant, 1st Pos. 
4. Beyond hope of recovery ; irretrievable ; ir- 
remediable; hopeless: as, desperate fortunes; 
system. See a desperate situation or condition. 
They are now 
But desperate debts again, I ne'er look for 'em. 
MidJleton (and others), The Widow, v. 1. 
For e'en the perfect angels were not stable, 
But had a fall more desperate than we. 
Sir J. Daeies, Immortal, of Soul, viii. 
They were fellows of desperate fortunes, forced to fly 
from the places of their birth on account of their poverty 
or their crimes. Sut(ft, Gulliver's Travels, iv. 4. 
5. Such as to be despaired of; extremely dif- 
ficult to do, manage, cure, or reclaim. 
Your bended honesty we shall set right, sir ; 
We surgeons of the law do desperate cures, sir. 
Fletcher, Spanish Curate, ill. 1. 
Concluding all were desp'rate sots and fools, 
That durst depart from Aristotle's rules. 
Pope, Essay on Criticism, 1. 271. 
= Syn. 2 and 3. Headlong, violent, mad, wild, furious, 
frantic. 
desperately (des'pe-rat-li), adv. 1. In a des- 
perate manner ; recklessly ; without fear or re- 
straint. 
The French, rather than to endure the Arrows of the 
English, or be taken, desperately leaped into the Sea. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 119. 
Ye all want money, and you are literal captains, 
And in this want will talk a little desperately. 
Fletcher (and another), False 6ne, III. a. 
2. Excessively; violently; unrestrainedly. 
The heart Is deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked. Jer. xvii. tf. 
She fell desperately in love with him, and took a voyage 
Into Sicily In pursuit of him. Aadison. 
desperateness (des'pe-rat-nes), n. Madness ; 
fury ; rash precipitance ;' violence. 
You are too rash, you are too hot, 
Wild desperateness doth valour blot. 
Lust's Dominion, If. 3. 
The foul elephantine leprosy, alleviated for an hour, 
reappears In new force and desperatenesi next hour. 
Carlyle. 
desperation (des-pe-ra'shon), n. [< ME. des- 
peration, < OF. desperation, desperation (cf. de- 
sesperation = F. desesptration) = OSp. despera- 
tion (Sp. desesperution = Pg. desesperacSo) = It. 
dctt/ierazione, disperazione = G. Dan. Sw. despe- 
ration, < L. desperatio(n-), hopelessness, despair, 
< desperare, despair : see desperate, despair, c.] 
If. A despairing ; hopelessness ; despair. 
This desperation of success chills all our Industry, and 
we sin on because we have sinned. Hammond. 
2. A desperate state of mind, either active or 
passive; recklessness arising from failure or 
misfortune; despairing rashness or fury: as, 
deeds of desperation. 
Drede of desperation dryueth a-weye thanne grace, 
That mercy in her inyndc may naujt thanne falle : 
Qood hope, that helpe shulde, to wanhope [despair! torn- 
eth. Piers Plowman (B), xvfl. 307. 
The very place puts toys of desperation, 
Without more motive, into every brain. 
Shale., Hamlet, I. 4. 
The Portuguese, ever mindful of Don Christopher, fought 
with a bravery like to desperation. 
Bruce, Source of the Nile, U. 190. 
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What 
is called resignation is continued desperation. 
Thoreau, Walden, p. 10. 
= Syn. 2. See despair. 
despicability (des'pi-ka-bil'i-ti), n. [< despi- 
cable: see -biHty."] Despicableness; contempt- 
ibleness. [Bare.] 
despiser 
Such courage we Indeed esteem an exceeding small 
matter, capable of co-existing with a life full of falsehood, 
feebleness, poltroonery, and despicti>> 
Carlyle, Misc., III. 94. 
despicable (des'pi-ka-bl), a. [= It. despicabile, 
< LL. desnicaWis, contemptible, < despicari, 
despise, < L. desinn ,-, . ilrspiae: see despise. Ct 
despisable.'] That may be or deserves to be 
despised; contemptible; base; vile: worth- 
less : applicable equally to persons and things : 
as, a despicable man ; a despicable gift. 
It Is less despicaole to beg a supply to a man's hunger 
than his vanity. Steele, Taller, No. 261. 
In proportion as he became contemptible to others, he 
became despicable to himself. Qoidsmith, Vicar, III. 
Such a disposition to fly to pieces u possessed the minds 
of the Greeks would divide America Into thousands of 
petty, despicable states. J. Adamt, Works, IV. 900. 
= 8yn. Paltry, Pitiful, ete. See omlemptMe. 
despicableness (des'pi-ka-bl-nes), n. The 
quality or state of being despicable ; vileness ; 
worthlessness. 
Even In the vilest [creatures), the maker's art shines 
through the despicableness of the matter. 
Boyle, Works, II. 13. 
despicably (des'pi-ka-bli), adv. Meanly; base- 
ly ; contemptibly : as, despicably stingy. 
Here wanton Naples crowns the happy shore. 
Nor vainly rich, nor despicably poor. Aadison. 
despiciencet, despiciencyt (de-spish'ens, -?.n- 
si), n. [< despicient: see -enee, -enry.] A look- 
ingdownupon; adespising; contempt. [Bare.] 
It Is very probable, that to shew their despiciency of the 
poore Gentiles, and to pride themselves on their preroga- 
tive and discretion from them, they (the Jews] affected to 
have such acts there done. /. Mede, Diatribe, p. 191. 
despicientt (de-spish'ent), n. [< L. despiti- 
en(t-)s, ppr. of despicere, look down, despise : see 
despise, j Looking down upon. Bailey, 1731. 
despightt, despightfulf. False spellings of 
despite, despitejiil. 
despiritualization (de-spir'i-tu-al-i-za'shon), 
n. [< 'desjnritualize (< de- priv. -f- N/iiritn<tJi:i ) 
+ -ation.~] The act of lessening the force, or 
impeding and removing the influences, of the 
nobler or spiritual nature and relations of men ; 
the state of being so affected. 
Worldliness includes the materialism of sin, the despiri- 
tualization of man. The Congreffationalist, Feb. 19, 1885. 
despisable (des-pi'za-bl), a. [< OF. despisable, 
le, < degfriser, despise: see despise and 
Deserving to be despised; despicable; 
contemptible. [Colloq.] 
despisalt (des-pi'zal), . [< despise + -al.] 
Contempt. 
No man is so mean but he is sensible of despital, and 
may And means to shew his resentment. 
Bp. Patrick, On Prov. xi. 12. 
despise (des-piz'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. despised, 
ppr. despising. [\ ME. despisen, dispisen, < OF. 
despiser, despicer, despise, < despis, desjtiz, pp. 
of despire, dcspier, dispire, despise, < L. despi- 
cere, look down upon, despise, scorn, < de, 
down, + specerc, look at, behold : see species, 
spectacle, spy. Cf. despicient, despect, despite.] 
1 . To look down upon ; contemn ; scorn ; dis- 
dain. 
Yf any Brother of the fforsayd ffraternyte and crafte 
dysspysse anoder, callenge hym knatfr. or horson, or deffe, 
or any yodur mysname, he schall pay, at the ffyrst def- 
faute, xij. d. English Gilds (E. E. T. 8.), p. 315. 
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. 1. 7. 
Men have despised to be conversant in ordinary and com- 
mon matters. Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 261. 
Till ft [the fire] had gained so considerable a force that 
it despised all the resistance [which] could lie made by the 
strength of the buildings which stood in Its way. 
Stillinftjleet, Sermons, 1. 1. 
The Oriental Christians, who have been despised for cen- 
turies, are, with some few exceptions, despicable enough. 
/;. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. 104. 
Hence 2f. To reject ; throw away. 
In bareine lande to sette or foster vynes 
Dispiseth alle the labour and exprnce. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.\ p. 7. 
St. To look upon; contemplate. [A forced 
and doubtful use.] 
Thy God reqnireth thee here the fulfilling of all his pre- 
cepts, If thou despisest to live with him for ever. Bacon. 
= Syn. 1. Contemn, Disdain, etc. See scorn. 
despisedness (des-pi'zed-nes), n. The state of 
being despised. 
He sent foolishness to confute wisdom, weakness to 
blind strength, despisedness to vanquish pride. 
Milton, Church-Government, ii. 1. 
despiser (des-pi'zer), n. [< ME. "despisere, de- 
speysere; < despise + -erV] One who despises; 
a scorner. 
Behold, ye despiters. and wonder, and perish. 
Acts xilL 4L 
