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