Gives up within distance, despairingly (5)
I believe the answer is:
cedes
'gives up' is the definition.
('cede' can be a synonym of 'give up')
'within distance despairingly' is the wordplay.
'within' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'CEDES' is hidden within 'distance despairingly'.
(Other definitions for cedes that I've seen before include "Hands over formally" , "Surrenders or relinquishes" , "Yields, hands over" , "Gives way" , "Surrenders or yields" .)