Category:Desire

De*sire", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desired; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiring.] Etym: [F. désirer, L. desiderare, origin uncertain, perh. fr. de- + sidus star, constellation, and hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf. Consider, and Desiderate, and see Sidereal.]

1. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet. Neither shall any man desire thy land. Exodus 34:24. Ye desire your child to live. Tennyson.

2. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord 2 Kings 4:28. Desire him to go in; trouble him no more. Shak.

3. To require; to demand; to claim. [Obs.] A doleful case desires a doleful song. Spenser.

4. To miss; to regret. [Obs.] She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- To long for; hanker after; covet; wish; ask; request; solicit; entreat; beg. -- To Desire, Wish. In desire the feeling is usually more eager than in wish. "I wish you to do this" is a milder form of command than "I desire you to do this," though the feeling prompting the injunction may be the usage C. J. Smith.

desire De*sire", n. Etym: [F. désir, fr. désirer. See Desire, v. t.]

1. The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy. Unspeakable desire to see and know. Milton.

2. An expressed wish; a request; petition. And slowly was my mother brought To yield consent to my desire. Tennyson.

3. Anything which is desired; an object of longing. The Desire of all nations shall come. Haggai 2:7.

4. Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite.

5. Grief; regret. [Obs.] Chapman.

Syn. -- Wish; appetency; craving; inclination; eagerness; aspiration; longing.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Desire of All Nations - (Haggai 2:7), usually interpreted as a title of the Messiah. The Revised Version, however, more correctly renders "the desirable things of all nations;" i.e., the choicest treasures of the Gentiles shall be consecrated to the Lord.