desperate

Definition of desperate

1feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with:a desperate sadness enveloped Ruth
(of an act) tried in despair or when everything else has failed:drugs used in a desperate attempt to save his life
(of a situation) extremely serious or dangerous:there is a desperate shortage of teachers
(of a person) violent or dangerous:a desperate criminal
Irish informal very bad:that beer’s desperate—it’s a wonder you’ve the nerve to offer it for sale

2 [predic.] (of a person) having a great need or desire for something:I am desperate for a cigarette [with infinitive]:other women are desperate to get back to work

Phrases

desperate diseases must have desperate remedies: proverb extreme measures are justified as a response to a difficult or dangerous situation: she resorted to even more desperate remedies

late Middle English (in the sense 'in despair'): from Latin desperatus 'deprived of hope', past participle of desperare (see despair)

Spell desperate with -per- in the middle.

perhaps he was desperate to escape.

Definition of desperate in the US English dictionary