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Webster 1913 Edition


Desire

De-sire′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Desired
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Desiring
.]
[F.
désirer
, L.
desiderare
, origin uncertain, perh. fr.
de-
+
sidus
star, constellation, and hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf.
Consider
, and
Desiderate
, and see
Sidereal
.]
1.
To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet.
Neither shall any man
desire
thy land.
Ex. xxxiv. 24.
Ye
desire
your child to live.
Tennyson.
2.
To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.
Then she said, Did I
desire
a son of my lord?
2 Kings iv. 28.
Desire
him to go in; trouble him no more.
Shakespeare
3.
To require; to demand; to claim.
[Obs.]
A doleful case
desires
a doleful song.
Spenser.
4.
To miss; to regret.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To long for; hanker after; covet; wish; ask; request; solicit; entreat; beg.
– To
Desire
,
Wish
. In desire the feeling is usually more eager than in wish. “I wish you to do this” is a milder form of command than “I desire you to do this,” though the feeling prompting the injunction may be the same.
C. J. Smith.

De-sire′

,
Noun.
[F.
désir
, fr.
désirer
. See
Desire
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy.
Unspeakable
desire
to see and know.
Milton.
2.
An expressed wish; a request; petition.
And slowly was my mother brought
To yield consent to my
desire
.
Tennyson.
3.
Anything which is desired; an object of longing.
The
Desire
of all nations shall come.
Hag. ii. 7.
4.
Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite.
Syn. – Wish; appetency; craving; inclination; eagerness; aspiration; longing.

Webster 1828 Edition


Desire

DESIRE

, n.
1.
An emotion or excitement of the mind, directed to the attainment or possession of an object from which pleasure, sensual, intellectual or spiritual, is expected; a passion excited by the love of an object, or uneasiness at the want of it, and directed to its attainment or possession. Desire is a wish to possess some gratification or source of happiness which is supposed to be obtainable. A wish may exist for something that is or is not abtainable. Desire, when directed solely to sensual enjoyment, differs little from appetite. In other languages, desire is expressed by longing or reaching toward, and when it is ardent or intense, it approaches to longing, but the word in English usually expresses less than longing.
We endeavored-to see your face with great desire. 1 Thess. 2.
Thou satisfiest the desires of every living thing. Ps. 145.
Desire is that internal act, which, by influencing the will, makes us proceed to action.
2.
A prayer or request to obtain:
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him. Ps. 145.
3.
The object of desire; that which is desired.
The desire of all nations shall come. Hag. 2.
4.
Love; affection.
His desire is toward me. Cant. 7.
5.
Appetite; lust.
Fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Eph. 2.

DESIRE

, v.t.
1.
To wish for the possession or enjoyment of, with a greater or less degree of earnestness; to covet. It expresses less strength of affection than longing.
Neither shall any man desire thy land. Ex. 34.
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts. 1 Cor. 14.
2.
To express a wish to obtain; to ask; to request; to petition.
Then she said, did I desire a son of my Lord? 2 Kings 4.
3.
To require.

Definition 2024


désire

désire

See also: desire, désiré, Désiré, and Desiré

French

Verb

désire

  1. first-person singular present indicative of désirer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of désirer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of désirer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of désirer
  5. second-person singular imperative of désirer

Anagrams