Both Uses of
despot
in
The Adventures of Augie March
- These hands and feet were small; she wore a shriveled sort of lisle on her legs and her slippers were gray—ah, the gray of that felt, the gray despotic to souls—with pink ribbons.†
Chpt 1 *despotic = typical of a ruler who abuses absolute power
- When has such damage been done by the gaze and so much awful despotism belonged to the eyes?†
Chpt 15despotism = a system of government with a ruler who has absolute power -- especially one who abuses that power
Definition:
a ruler with absolute power -- especially one who abuses that power