English Dictionary
Definition desire in British English
desire
noun
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.
These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
noun
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
▪ express, feel, fulfil, have, indicate, satisfy, show
When the noun desire is followed by a verb, use the infinitive (not the pattern ‘desire of doing something’):
✗ A child without a ‘real’ father might have a desire of knowing who his father was.
✓ A child without a ‘real’ father might have a desire to know who his father was.
✗ Our parents and grandparents had the desire of creating a better world for future generations.
✓ Our parents and grandparents had the desire to create a better world for future generations.
When the noun desire is followed by another noun, use the pattern desire for something (not ‘desire of something’):
✗ It’s not money itself that causes evil, it’s the desire of money.
✓ It’s not money itself that causes evil, it’s the desire for money.
✗ Hatred and the desire of revenge brought one man to kill his brother.
✓ Hatred and the desire for revenge brought one man to kill his brother.
Young people have no desire to work for the government.
