desperate

Definition

In dire need (of something); having a dire need or desire.

Etymology

From Middle English desperat(e) (“desperate”), borrowed from Latin dēspērātus, perfect passive participle of dēspērō (“to be without hope”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). The noun is derived from the adjective or from the Latin source through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Example Sentences

• "I hadn't eaten in two days and was desperate for food."
• "desperate to eat; desperate for attention"
• "I was so desperate at one point, I even went to see a loan shark."

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