desire
to want something, especially strongly
I desire only to be left in peace.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
II. desire2 BrE AmE verb [transitive not in progressive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑desirability, ↑desire; adjective: ↑desirable ≠ ↑undesirable, ↑desired ≠ UNDESIRED; verb: ↑desire; adverb: ↑desirably]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: desirer, from Latin desiderare, from sidus 'star' (perhaps from the idea of 'wishing on a star')]
1. formal to want something very much:
The hotel has everything you could possibly desire.
desire to do something
He desired to return to Mexico.
Add lemon juice if desired.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say want rather than desire, although the meaning of desire is stronger than want:
▪ You can have anything you want.
▪ I wanted to meet her.
2. literary to want to have sex with someone
—desired adjective:
His remarks had the desired effect.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
verb (not used in the progressive tenses)
1. (formal) to want sth; to wish for sth
• ~ sth We all desire health and happiness.
• The house had everything you could desire.
• The dessert can be topped with cream, if desired (= if you like).
• The medicine did not achieve the desired effect.
• ~ (sb/sth) to do sth Fewer people desire to live in the north of the country.
2. ~ sb to be sexually attracted to sb
• He still desired her.
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French desir (noun), desirer (verb), from Latin desiderare, perhaps from de- ‘down’ + sidus, sider- ‘star’.
Thesaurus:
desire verb T (not used in the progressive tenses) (formal)
• The house had everything you could desire.
want • • wish • • like • |formal, especially spoken would like sth • |informal, especially spoken feel like sth • |BrE, informal, especially spoken fancy •
sb desires/wants/wishes/likes/would like to do sth
sb really desires/wants/wishes/would like/feels like/fancies sth
Example Bank:
• A home of her own was something she had always very much desired.
• Most countries sincerely desired peace.
• He still desired her, and she him.
• The dessert can be topped with cream, if desired.
• The medicine did not achieve the desired effect.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
desire / dɪˈzaɪə r / / -ˈzaɪr / verb [ T not continuous ] formal (WANT)
C1 to want something, especially strongly:
I desire only to be left in peace.
The hotel had everything you could possibly desire.
What does her Ladyship desire me to do/desire of me?
[ + to infinitive ] The president desires to meet the new prime minister.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
desire
[dɪza͟ɪ͟ə(r)]
♦♦
desires, desiring, desired
1) N-COUNT: oft N to-inf, N for n A desire is a strong wish to do or have something.
I had a strong desire to help and care for people...
They seem to have lost their desire for life.
2) VERB: no cont If you desire something, you want it. [FORMAL]
[V n] She had remarried and desired a child with her new husband...
[V to-inf] But Fred was bored and desired to go home...
[V n to-inf] He desired me to inform her that he had made his peace with God.
Derived words:
desired ADJ-GRADED ADJ n You may find that just threatening this course of action will produce the desired effect... His warnings have provoked the desired response.
3) N-UNCOUNT Desire for someone is a strong feeling of wanting to have sex with them.
Teenage sex, for instance, may come not out of genuine desire but from a need to get love.
4) VERB: no cont If you desire someone, you want to have sex with them.
[V n] It never occurred to him that she might not desire him.
5) PHRASE If desired is used in instructions in written English to indicate that someone can choose to take the course of action mentioned.
Additional courses may be taken if desired...
Transfer this sauce to a separate saucepan, if desired.
6) PHRASE: Ns inflect, usu poss PHR If you say that someone or something is your heart's desire, you mean that you want that person or thing very much. [LITERARY]
He was extremely devious in his efforts to achieve his heart's desire.
7) PHRASE: V inflects (disapproval) If you say that something leaves a lot to be desired, you mean that it is not as good as it should be.
The selection of TV programmes, especially at the weekend, leaves a lot to be desired...
Food seems to have been available, even if the quality left much to be desired...
It is just possible that the accuracy of the information provided might leave something to be desired.
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1de·sire /dɪˈzajɚ/ verb not used in progressive tenses -sires; -sired; -sir·ing [+ obj]
1 somewhat formal : to want or wish for (something) : to feel desire for (something)
• Many people desire wealth.
• He desired her approval more than anything.
• The apartment has modern amenities, a great location—everything you could desire.
• Those desiring [=looking for] a more relaxed atmosphere will prefer the pub in the restaurant's lower level.
- sometimes followed by to + verb
• I have always desired [=wanted] to go to France.
2 : to want to have sex with (someone)
• She knew that men still desired her.
3 formal : to express a wish for (something)
• The committee desires [=requests] an immediate answer.
leave much to be desired or leave a lot to be desired or leave a great deal to be desired
- used to say that something is not very good at all or is not close to being good enough
• Your work leaves much to be desired.
• Although her education left much to be desired, she was an extremely intelligent person.
• The working conditions here leave a lot to be desired.
