dē-spondĕo, spondi, sponsum, 2 (
* Perf. despopondisse, Plaut. Trin. 3, 1, 2; plqpf. despoponderas, id. Truc. 4, 3, 51; with despondi,id. Aul. 2, 3, 4: despondisse,id. Trin. 5, 2, 9 et saep.), v. a., to promise to give, to promise, pledge.
* Lit.
* In gen. (rarely): librum alicui,Cic. Att. 13, 12, 3: Syriam homini,id. ib. 1, 16, 8: domum, hortos, Baias sibi,id. ib. 11, 6, 6: imperium Orientis Romanis,Liv. 26, 37: consulatum,id. 4, 13: Tarpeias arces sibi (sc. diripiendas, with promittere), Luc. 7, 758.— Far more freq. and class.
* Trop.
* Transf., facete: bibliothecam tuam cave cuiquam despondeas, quamvis acrem amatorem inveneris,Cic. Att. 1, 10, 4.
* To promise, give up, devote to: spes reipublicae despondetur anno consulatus tui,Cic. Fam. 12, 9, 2: perjuria meritis poenis,Val. Fl. 7, 509.
* With predom. idea of removing, putting away from one's self, to give up, yield, resign. So esp. freq. in Plaut.: animum, to lose courage, to despair, despond: ne lamentetur neve animum despondeat,Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 6; 4, 2, 63; id. Merc. 3, 4, 29; id. Men. prol. 35; Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 6; in the same sense, animos,Liv. 3, 38; 26, 7; 31, 22; and simply, despondere,Col. 8, 10, 1: sapientiam,to despair of acquiring wisdom,Col. 11, 1, 11; cf.: nempe quas spopondi? St. Immo, quas despondi, inquito, have got rid of by promising, i. e. by being security for others, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 25 Ritschl (Fleck. dependi).

s. TLL