Sadly the optimism I felt during the 1960's and seventies has given way to a numb dystopianism.

The brief optimism born of a public rebellion against early proposals for ground zero has long since given in to cynicism.

This time, the first-year optimism did not give way to letdown.

That optimism gave way to pessimism, as it always and inevitably does - often with alarming speed.

The optimism and serenity that pervaded the start of school last year have given way to deep unease.

The optimism gave way, and when the data got too negative to ignore, the policymakers finally acted.

But as I examined the documents, my initial optimism again gave way to disappointment.

As the hours ticked by, early optimism gave way to frustration and disbelief that progress had been so slow.

Tentative optimism gave way to nervous caution among small investors yesterday.

Within seconds, his optimism gave way to ambivalence.