Word family noun desirability desire adjective desirable ≠ undesirable desired ≠ undesired verb desire adverb desirably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdesirede‧sire1 /dɪˈzaɪə $ -ˈzaɪr/ ●●● W2 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]WANT a strong hope or wishdesire to do something a strong desire to windesire for a desire for knowledgedesire that It was Harold’s desire that he should be buried next to his wife.express/show a desire She expressed a desire to visit us.have no desire to do something (=used to emphasize that you do not want to do something) I have no desire to cause any trouble.overwhelming/burning desire (=very strong desire) Paul had a burning desire to visit India.2 [uncountable] formalSEX/HAVE SEX WITH a strong wish to have sex with someone female sexual desiredesire for He tried to hide his desire for her. → your heart’s desire at heart1(24)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesgreat/strong His one great desire in life was to own a Mercedes.The desire was too strong to resist.overwhelming (=so strong that it takes control of you )He felt an overwhelming desire for a cigarette.deep/fierce (=very great)The people of the village had a deep desire for revenge.a genuine/real desireAll her life she had a genuine desire to help the poor.a natural desireKids have a natural desire to find out about new things.a burning desire (=an extremely strong desire)She had a burning desire to pack her case and leave.an insatiable desire (=a desire that cannot be satisfied)She had an insatiable desire for publicity.verbshave a desireMilly had a sudden strong desire to laugh.express a desireMany political leaders have expressed their desire for peace.show a desire (also indicate a desire formal)He had shown no desire to get involved in the project.satisfy/fulfil a desireCompanies aim to satisfy people's desire for variety.phraseshave no desire to do something (=used to emphasize that you do not want to do something)It was raining outside and I had no desire to go out.an object of desire (=someone or something you want very much)The store provides cheese lovers with the object of their desire. Examples from the Corpus
desire• Concomitant with the obsession with dirt was a desire for order.• Young Peryoux left home for Paris, armed with a guitar, and a burning desire to succeed.• After so many years of war, there was a great desire for peace.• The smell of her perfume was enough to awaken his desire for her.• Young children have a keen desire to learn and succeed.• The urgency of desire surprised him.• But rather than sating desires, it seemed to fuel them toward even more escalation.• When she was drunk she could hardly contain her sexual desires.• People have a strong desire for personal independence.• Business leaders are driven by the profit motive; government leaders are driven by the desire to get reelected.• To say nothing of the desires of the client.• As she held him close she was filled with desire.desire to do something• Open learning - all you need is pen and paper and a desire to learn.• Many expressed a desire to be able to get in touch, particularly with others who studied with them at Stirling.• He had no desire to take over the first place.• In our desire to become the architects of our own evolution, we risk the very real possibility of losing our humanity.• Parents should find ways to stimulate their children's desire to learn.• One woman had expressed a strong desire to learn to read.• Slowly and selectively the understanding of change and the desire to participate began to spread.• Everyone gets hysterical the moment an adolescent or a woman announces the desire to be free.desiredesire2 ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 WANT 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.RegisterIn 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 SEX/HAVE SEX WITH literary to want to have sex with someone —desired adjective His remarks had the desired effect.GRAMMAR: Using the progressive Desire is not usually used in the progressive. You say: He desires adventure. ✗Don’t say: He is desiring adventure.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
desire• Taste and add a little sugar or artificial sweetener, if desired.• This insight taught me something about the enormous power that is generated by desiring something very much.• No longer did I desire conventions of little nymphets, each one wearing playboy's plastic name badge.• This is the first and perhaps the last time that I shall desire it.• I think the Israelis as a people desire peace.desire to do something• Power is truly everywhere and naturally used by those desiring to fulfill their work-related objectives.• Thirdly, he may have desired to get a hand on Sierra Leone's considerable resources.• Abreu had terrific success hitting first, but badly desires to hit third.• Perhaps it has something to do with great players being unable to translate their ability and desire to lesser-skilled athletes.• Years passed and, with them, any desire to live with nomads.• Most of all, he desires to make an intelligent presentation.• Was this what the phrenologists called Matrimony, Desire to Marry?• This is just some of the background to the debate as to whether access should be gained or desired to Range West.had the desired effect• Hermann clearly went about his interview in the wrong way: The brush-off seems to have had the desired effect.• The idea was sound, but events of 14 July made it futile, for Bismarck's telegram had the desired effect.• This letter had the desired effect.• These sessions had the desired effect of driving home the urgent need for change.• The début single had the desired effect of stirring up a wealth of excitement.• He was pleased to note that this had the desired effect - she no longer wet herself.• Longstreet merely sent another note directing that if the artillery fire had the desired effect the attack was to go forward.• But have these expanded powers and the concomitant increase in punitiveness had the desired effect upon crime?Origin desire2 (1200-1300) Old French desirer, from Latin desiderare, from sidus “star” (perhaps from the idea of “wishing on a star”) 