Library / English Dictionary

DESIRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An inclination to want things

Example:

a man of many desires

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("desire" is a kind of...):

inclination; tendency (a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "desire"):

hunger; hungriness; thirst; thirstiness (strong desire for something (not food or drink))

greed (excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves)

Derivation:

desire (feel or have a desire for; want strongly)

desire (express a desire for)

desire (expect and wish)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("desire" is a kind of...):

feeling (the experiencing of affective and emotional states)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "desire"):

caprice; impulse; whim (a sudden desire)

itch; urge (a strong restless desire)

concupiscence; eros; physical attraction; sexual desire (a desire for sexual intimacy)

hungriness; longing; yearning (prolonged unfulfilled desire or need)

want; wish; wishing (a specific feeling of desire)

craving (an intense desire for some particular thing)

temptation (the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid)

bloodlust (a desire for bloodshed)

ambition; aspiration; dream (a cherished desire)

Derivation:

desire (feel or have a desire for; want strongly)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Something that is desired

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("desire" is a kind of...):

arousal (a state of heightened physiological activity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "desire"):

passion; rage (something that is desired intensely)

materialism; philistinism (a desire for wealth and material possessions with little interest in ethical or spiritual matters)

Derivation:

desire (feel or have a desire for; want strongly)

desire (express a desire for)

desire (expect and wish)

desirous (having or expressing desire for something)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Feel or have a desire for; want strongly

Example:

I want my own room

Synonyms:

desire; want

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "desire"):

seek (try to get or reach)

hanker; long; yearn (desire strongly or persistently)

lech after; lust after (have a strong sexual desire for)

begrudge; envy (be envious of; set one's heart on)

feel like (have an inclination for something or some activity)

ambition (have as one's ambition)

like (want to have)

itch; spoil (have a strong desire or urge to do something)

care; like; wish (prefer or wish to do something)

wish; wish well (feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of)

wish (hope for; have a wish)

hope (be optimistic; be full of hope; have hopes)

miss (feel or suffer from the lack of)

fancy; go for; take to (have a fancy or particular liking or desire for)

crave; hunger; lust; starve; thirst (have a craving, appetite, or great desire for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They desire to move

Derivation:

desire (an inclination to want things)

desire (the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state)

desire (something that is desired)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Express a desire for

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "desire" is one way to...):

ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

desire (an inclination to want things)

desire (something that is desired)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Expect and wish

Example:

I hope she understands that she cannot expect a raise

Synonyms:

desire; hope; trust

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "desire" is one way to...):

wish (hope for; have a wish)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They desire to move

Derivation:

desire (an inclination to want things)

desire (something that is desired)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I desire you will do no such thing.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

He was in a savage temper, and, standing over six feet from the ground, was as formidable an antagonist as even Buck could desire.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

I was unwilling to quit the sight of those that remained to me, and above all, I desired to see my sweet Elizabeth in some degree consoled.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

If they cannot, they may experience: • Panic and fear • Rapid heartbeat • Shortness of breath • Trembling • A strong desire to get away

(Phobias, NIH: National Institute of Mental Health)

The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior.

(Motivation, NCI Thesaurus)

Creating slice views from a 3D image with their planes having desired orientations.

(Multi-planar Reformatting, NCI Thesaurus)

Despite the smaller quantity, microdrug administration still achieves the desired pharmalogic effect.

(Microdose, NCI Thesaurus)

This results in a relaxation of bladder smooth muscle, a reduction of involuntary muscle contractions and delays the initial desire to void.

(Esoxybutynin Chloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Various treatment modalities that produce the desired therapeutic effect by means of change of hormone/hormones level.

(Endocrine therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

Anything that is necessary but lacking; the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior.

(Need, NCI Thesaurus)