desperate: Meaning and Definition of

des•per•ate

Pronunciation: (des'pur-it, -prit), [key]
— adj.
  1. reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency: a desperate killer.
  2. having an urgent need, desire, etc.: desperate for attention.
  3. leaving little or no hope; very serious or dangerous: a desperate illness.
  4. extremely bad; intolerable or shocking: clothes in desperate taste.
  5. extreme or excessive.
  6. making a final, ultimate effort; giving all: a desperate attempt to save a life.
  7. actuated by a feeling of hopelessness.
  8. having no hope; giving in to despair.
—n.
  1. a desperado.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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