Desperate — Des per*ate, a. [L. desperatus, p. p. of desperare. See {Despair}, and cf. {Desperado}.] 1. Without hope; given to despair; hopeless. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Beyond hope; causing despair;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
desperate — ► ADJECTIVE 1) feeling, showing, or involving despair. 2) extremely bad or serious: a desperate shortage. 3) having a great need or desire for something: desperate for a cigarette. 4) violent or dangerous. ● desperate diseases must have desperate … English terms dictionary
desperate — [des′pər it] adj. [ME desperat < L desperatus, pp. of desperare: see DESPAIR] 1. a) driven to or resulting from loss of hope; rash or violent because of despair [a desperate criminal] b) having a very great desire, need, etc. [desperate for… … English World dictionary
desperate — [adj1] reckless, outrageous atrocious, audacious, bold, careless, dangerous, daring, death defying, determined, devilmay care, foolhardy, frantic, frenzied, furious, hasty, hazardous, headlong, headstrong, heinous, impetuous, incautious, madcap,… … New thesaurus
Desperate — Des per*ate, n. One desperate or hopeless. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
desperate — index drastic, hot blooded, pessimistic Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
desperate — early 15c., despairing, hopeless, from L. desperatus given up, despaired of, pp. of desperare (see DESPAIR (Cf. despair)). Sense of driven to recklessness is from late 15c.; weakened sense of having a great desire for is from 1950s. Related:… … Etymology dictionary
desperate — hopeless, despairing, *despondent, forlorn Analogous words: reckless, rash, foolhardy, venturesome (see AD VENTUROUS): *precipitate, headlong: thwarted, foiled, frustrated, outwitted, circumvented, baffled, balked (see FRUSTRATE) Contrasted words … New Dictionary of Synonyms
desperate — des|per|ate W3 [ˈdespərıt] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : Latin; Origin: desperatus, past participle of desperare; DESPAIR2] 1.) willing to do anything to change a very bad situation, and not caring about danger ▪ I had no money left and was desperate.… … Dictionary of contemporary English
desperate — [[t]de̱spərət[/t]] ♦♦♦ 1) ADJ GRADED If you are desperate, you are in such a bad situation that you are willing to try anything to change it. Troops are needed to help get food into Kosovo where people are in desperate need... Desperate with… … English dictionary
