Lewis & Short

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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.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. 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.,
    2. B. In partic. t. t., to promise in marriage, to betroth, engage: qui spoponderat filiam, despondisse dicebatur, quod de sponte ejus, id est de voluntate exierat, Varr. L. L. 6, § 71 Müll.: filiam alicui, Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 28; id. Rud. 4, 8, 5; Ter. Heaut. 4, 5, 36; Cic. Att. 1, 3 fin.; id. de Or. 1, 56, 239; id. Clu. 64, 179; Liv. 1, 26; 1, 39; Ov. M. 9, 715: vos uni viro, Vulg. 2 Cor. 11, 2 et saep.
      Absol.: placuit despondi (sc. eam), Ter. And. 1, 1, 75; cf.: sororem suam in tam fortem familiam, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 9; and: filiam suam in divitias maxumas, id. Cist. 2, 3, 57.
      Rarely with sibi: Orestillae filiam sibi, to espouse, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 7.
      Pass. impers.: intus despondebitur, Ter. And. 5, 6, 16.
      1. 2. Transf., facete: bibliothecam tuam cave cuiquam despondeas, quamvis acrem amatorem inveneris, Cic. Att. 1, 10, 4.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To promise, give up, devote to: spes reipublicae despondetur anno consulatus tui, Cic. Fam. 12, 9, 2: perjuria meritis poenis, Val. Fl. 7, 509.
    2. B. 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).

‡ dēsponsor, ōris, m. [despondeo], one who betroths, acc. to Varr. L. L. 6, § 69 Müll.