Despondent about yet another rejection

Question

HiThe text below is from this page: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despondentdespondent, despairing, desperate, hopeless mean having lost all or nearly all hope. despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort &lt;despondent about yet another rejection&gt;. despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency &lt;despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child&gt;. desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration &lt;one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle&gt;. hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation &lt;the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless&gt;."despondent about yet another rejection" - I don't get this phrase. One is always low in spirits or downcast about receiving a rejection. No one gets happy over the thought of being rejected. Perhaps, "despondent", suggests an extreme level of lowness in spirits to the degree that the one doesn't even want to apply etc. Please guide me on this. Thanks.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

'Yet another rejection' indicates that the person has received many rejections.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Mister Micawber'Yet another rejection' indicates that the person has received many rejections.

Thank you, Mr Micawber.

"despondent" is close in meaning to 'hopeless'. That's where I have the problem. "He is despondent about yet another rejection". It would have easier for me to understand if it were something like 'He is despondent (low in spirits) because he thinks that his application will be rejected again'. Please now guide me. Thank you.

JohnParis · Answer

What does everyone think about the following?

Despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

I think the key to understanding the essence of despondent is the concept of possible uselessness of continued effort.

The sentence could read:

Despondent about yet another rejection, Fred wondered if he should continue writing or give up and become a taxi driver.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thanks, John.

JohnParisDespondent about yet another rejection, Fred wondered if he should continue writing or give up and become a taxi driver.

I'm not trying to say that the phrase is wrong. It's just that I'm having hard time understanding it. It would have been easier for me to comprehend the meaning if it were something like 'Despondent (low in spirits) because of chances of getting another rejection...'. Could you please help me a bit more? Thank you.

JohnParis · Answer

Jackson, I think you are very close (I hope I am not missing your point).

Let's take my example above where I wrote about "Fred".

The use of the phrase "Deaspondent about yet another rejection" carries with it an unwritten concept of:

Being despondant about yet another ..., Fred

or

In that he was despondant about yet another ..., Fred

or

Because he was despondant about yet another..., Fred

In your case, the author has simply chosen a style of writing that removes the "being", "in that" and "because" and wishes to start the sentence knowing that the noun that follows the word rejection will explain the despondency.

Your explanation of: "Despondent (low in spirits) because of chances of getting another rejection.." captures the meaning exactly.

"Despondant about yet another..." says it in fewer words. The author's style is to use fewer words.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I think your understanding of this is good.

Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thank you, John, Clive.

I think it was the meaning of "about" the more of an obstacle in understand the meaning of the phrase.

Despondent about yet another rejection, Fred wondered if he should continue writing or give up and become a taxi driver.

The following sense fits best in the context.

about (prep)

4 a : with regard to : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerning <spoke about his past> b : concerned with

[M-W's Col. Dic.]

Best wishes

Jackson

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