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Desperate   /dˈɛsprɪt/  /dˈɛspərɪt/   Listen
Desperate

adjective
1.
Arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope.  Synonym: despairing.  "The last despairing plea of the condemned criminal" , "A desperate cry for help" , "Helpless and desperate--as if at the end of his tether" , "Her desperate screams"
2.
Desperately determined.  Synonym: do-or-die.  "A do-or-die conflict"
3.
(of persons) dangerously reckless or violent as from urgency or despair.  "Taken hostage of desperate men"
4.
Showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort.  Synonym: heroic.  "The desperate gallantry of our naval task forces marked the turning point in the Pacific war" , "They took heroic measures to save his life"
5.
Showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire.  "A desperate need for recognition"
6.
Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless.  Synonym: dire.  "On all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel" , "A dire emergency"
noun
1.
A person who is frightened and in need of help.



Related searches:
desperate criminal
desperate measure
desperate straits


WordNet 3.0 © 2010 Princeton University


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"Desperate" Quotes from Famous Books



... as it would be painful to view this long, courageous, desperate defence of slavery as the pure product of depravity. The South had a cause, in logic, law, and, to an extent, even in justice. Both sides could rightly appeal to the Constitution, the deep, irrepressible antagonism of freedom against bondage having ...
— History of the United States, Volume 3 (of 6) • E. Benjamin Andrews
... machine was roaring like a desperate, cornered thing now; its crawling pace slackening with the steeper inclines, gaining with the lesser raises, then settling once more to the lagging pace as steepness followed steepness, or the abruptness ...
— The White Desert • Courtney Ryley Cooper
... desperate, drew his sword, intending to take their meat by force, and said: 'Forbear and eat no more; I must have your food!' The duke asked him, if distress had made him so bold, or if he were a rude despiser of good manners? On this Orlando said, he was dying with hunger; ...
— Tales from Shakespeare • Charles and Mary Lamb
... have!" answered Harry, "and had a desperate fight too. We killed some of them, and the rest ran off. Lieutenant Bertram, of the police, believes that they will still remain lurking in the neighbourhood, and has come on with some of his men to be ready to act as a guard to the house should father wish it. We have had some exciting work, ...
— The Young Berringtons - The Boy Explorers • W.H.G. Kingston
... was fortunate enough to catch Dr. Turnbull in the hall with one or two others, just as they were about to pass into the consulting room. Such was Sam's desperate state of mind that he went ...
— Corporal Cameron • Ralph Connor


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