desire
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a strong feeling that you want something or want to do something.
n.a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.
Simple“He had a strong desire to travel the world after finishing university.”
In context“Her lifelong desire to improve public health led her to pursue a career in medical research across several continents.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a strong feeling of romantic or sexual attraction to someone.
n.a strong feeling of sexual attraction or romantic appetite toward another person.
Simple“The movie is a story about love, desire, and betrayal.”
In context“The poet explores the tension between intellectual companionship and physical desire in his later works.”
SynonymsAntonymsdisgustrepulsion - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to want something very much.
v.to wish for or want something earnestly; often carries a more formal or intense tone than 'want'.
Simple“You can have anything you desire for your birthday dinner.”
In context“The shareholders desire a more transparent reporting process before they agree to the proposed merger.”
UsageTransitive verb taking a direct object or a 'to' infinitive.
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to ask someone for something in a polite or formal way.
v.to express a wish to someone; to request or entreat.
Simple“The king desired his guests to join him in the garden.”
In context“The governor desired the committee to reconsider their decision in light of the new economic data.”
Usage desire to win · desire for · express desire
“It has been driven by the couple's desire to spend time in Europe, nearer Harry's family and wanting to educate their children in the UK.”
“We’re going to work … as hard as we possibly can to get the trust back from the community, to get the culture where we desire to be, where we once had been.”
From Middle English desir, desire (noun) and desiren (verb), from Old French desirer, desirrer, from Latin dēsīderō (“to long for, desire, feel the want of, miss, regret”), apparently from de- + sidus (in the phrase de sidere, "from the stars") in connection with astrological hopes. Compare consider and desiderate. The verb, along with Old Norse derived want (verb), has mostly replaced native will in modern English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.