From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe the despair of somebodybe the despair of somebodyold-fashionedWORRIED to make someone feel very worried, upset, or unhappy She is the despair of her teachers. → despair
Examples from the Corpus
be the despair of somebody• The condition of humankind to which the creation story belongs is the despair of sin.• I am sure that I was the despair of Ron's coaching life, but still he made no comment.• This is not a matter of poor teaching, for such students can be the despair of conscientious teachers. 