Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To wish to have or see happen.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A desire; a desired thing; preference.
- To feel a desire for or the want of; miss; desire.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To desire; to feel the want of; to lack; to miss; to want.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To
miss , to feel theabsence of, to long for.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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'I do not desiderate that pie!' was his way of putting it.
In The Time Of Light dj barber 2010
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Nay, looking at the general state of things at this day, I desiderate for a School of the Church, if an additional School is to be granted to us, a more central position than
Harvard Classics Volume 28 Essays English and American Various
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But what more comfort could a man desiderate than is given by the Holy Spirit?
The Doctrines of Predestination, Reprobation, and Election Robert Wallace
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Evidently, if these two foregoing statements are true, Mr. Froude must join us in thinking that a man whose mind could be warped by external influences from the softest commiseration for the sufferings of his kind, one year, into being the cold-blooded deviser of the readiest method for slaughtering unarmed holiday - makers, the very next year, is not the kind of ruler whom he and we so cordially desiderate.
West Indian Fables by James Anthony Froude Explained by J. J. Thomas
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We desiderate means of instruction which involve no interruption of our ordinary habits; nor need we seek it long, for the natural course of things brings it about, while we debate over it.
Harvard Classics Volume 28 Essays English and American Various
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Over against the criticism of our day even moderately critical writers offer comments such as Skinner (p. 11): "It is a bold thing to desiderate a treatment more worthy of the theme, or more impressive in effect, than we find the severely chiselled outlines and stately cadences of the first chapter of Genesis."
Exposition of Genesis: Volume 1 1892-1972 1942
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And tenderness, toobut does that appear a mawkish thing to desiderate in life?
Beyond Life 1921
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Then, too, consider his philanthropy! and deliberate how insufferable would be our case if you and I, and all our fellow parishioners, were to-day hobnobbing with other beasts in the Garden which we pretend to desiderate on Sundays!
Jurgen A Comedy of Justice James Branch Cabell 1918
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"Truth is not hidden from the Friend of God," replied the hasheesh-eater, "I have erred being drunken with the hasheesh, for in the desiderate city, even in London, so thick upon the ways is the white sea-sand with which the city glimmers that no sound comes from the path of the charioteers, but they go softly like a light sea-wind."
Tales of Wonder Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany 1917
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London the desiderate city the sky is so deep a blue that by this alone the traveller may know where he has come, and may end his fortunate journey.
Tales of Wonder Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany 1917
jaime_d commented on the word desiderate
from Carlyle's "Sartor Resartus"
January 11, 2009