WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Des"per*ate
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [L. desperatus, p. p. of desperare. See Despair, and cf. Desperado.]
Definition : 1. Without hope; given to despair; hopeless. [Obs.] I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak.

2. Beyond hope; causing despair; extremely perilous; irretrievable; past cure, or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate fortune.

3. Proceeding from, or suggested by, despair; without regard to danger or safety; reckless; furious; as, a desperate effort. "Desperate expedients." Macaulay.

4. Extreme, in a bad sense; outrageous; -- used to mark the extreme predominance of a bad quality. A desperate offendress against nature. Shak. The most desperate of reprobates. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Hopeless; despairing; desponding; rash; headlong; precipitate; irretrievable; irrecoverable; forlorn; mad; furious; frantic.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Des"per*ate
Part of Speech : n.
Definition : Defn: One desperate or hopeless. [Obs.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913