desire

Word family  noun desirability desire adjective desirable ≠ undesirable desired ≠ undesired verb desire adverb desirably

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++de·sire1 /dɪˈzaɪə $ -ˈzaɪr/ ●●● W2 noun  1  [countable, uncountable]WANT a strong hope or wish 渴望；欲望desire to do something a strong desire to win 强烈的求胜欲望desire for a desire for knowledge 对知识的渴望desire that It was Harold’s desire that he should be buried next to his wife. 哈罗德的愿望是被安葬在妻子旁边。express/show a desire She expressed a desire to visit us. 她表示想要拜访我们。have no desire to do something (=used to emphasize that you do not want to do something) 不想做某事〔用于强调〕 I have no desire to cause any trouble. 我可不想惹任何麻烦。overwhelming/burning desire (=very strong desire) 强烈/热切的渴望 Paul had a burning desire to visit India. 保罗热切地希望去印度。2  [uncountable] formalSEX/HAVE SEX WITH a strong wish to have sex with someone 肉欲，性欲 female sexual desire 女性的性欲desire for He tried to hide his desire for her. 他试图掩饰自己对她的情欲。 → your heart’s desire at heart1(24)n 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.desire2 ●●○ verb [transitive]  1  WANT formal to want something very much 渴望，期望 The hotel has everything you could possibly desire. 这家酒店里你想要的东西应有尽有。desire to do something He desired to return to Mexico. 他渴望回墨西哥去。 Add lemon juice if desired. 需要的话加点柠檬汁。 RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say want rather than desire, although the meaning of desire is stronger than want: 在日常英语中,人们一般说 want ,而不说 desire ,不过 desire 的语气较强You can have anything you want. 你想要什么都可以。I wanted to meet her. 我想见她。2. SEX/HAVE SEX WITH literary to want to have sex with someone 想和〔某人〕发生性关系 —desired adjective His remarks had the desired effect. 他的话达到了想要的效果。n 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 table

Examples 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”)

de·sire1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1desire2 verb →n GRAMMAR1 →REGISTER1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

strong hope or wish a Corpus

desire

I

de‧sire¹ W2 /dɪˈzaɪə $ -ˈzaɪr/ noun1. [uncountable and countable] a strong hope or wish
    desire to do something
    a strong desire to win
    desire for
    a desire for knowledge
    desire 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] formal a strong wish to have sex with someone:
    female sexual desire
    desire for
    He tried to hide his desire for her.
⇨ your heart’s desire at heart(24)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adjectives
   ▪ great/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 desire All her life she had a genuine desire to help the poor.
   ▪ a natural desire Kids 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.
■ verbs
   ▪ have a desire Milly had a sudden strong desire to laugh.
   ▪ express a desire Many 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 desire Companies aim to satisfy people's desire for variety.
■ phrases
   ▪ have 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.

II

desire² verb [transitive not in progressive]1. 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.
  REGISTER
    In 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. literary to want to have sex with someone
—desired adjective:
    His remarks had the desired effect.