I.to long for, greatly wish for, to desire something not possessed (freq. and class.—for syn. cf.: opto, requiro, expeto, appeto, affecto, cupio, concupisco, aveo, gestio, capto, volo).
I. In gen., with acc.: “Dies noctesque me ames, me desideres,” Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 113: “quam tu filium tuom, tam pater me meus desiderat,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 66: “natura quid velit, anquirat, desideret,” Cic. Lael. 24: “nec sitio honores, nec desidero gloriam,” id. Q. Fr. 3, 5, 3: “dum illa desideramus, ab aliis avertimur,” Quint. 10, 6, 7: “quid desideremus aut deprecemur,” id. 4, 1, 52: “nec nunc vires desidero adolescentis non plus quam adolescens tauri aut elephanti desiderabam,” Cic. de Sen. 9; Caes. B. C. 3, 74, 2: “desiderantem quod satis est,” Hor. Od. 3, 1, 25: “Sextilem totum mendax desideror,” id. Ep. 1, 7, 2 et saep.—
(β).
With acc. and inf.: “me gratiam aps te inire verbis nil desidero,” Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 10: “mihi dari haud desidero,” id. Merc. 1, 2, 37: “quo ullam rem ad se importari desiderent,” Caes. B. G. 4, 2.— With inf. alone: “mori,” Vulg. Apoc. 9, 6.—
(γ).
With ab or in: “ab Chrysippo nihil magnum desideravi,” Cic. Rep. 3, 8; id. Att. 8, 14, 2; Quint. 3, 1, 2 al.: “ab milite modestiam et continentiam,” Caes. B. G. 7, 52 fin.: “in quo (Catone) summam eloquentiam,” Cic. Brut. 31, 118; id. Fin. 5, 5, 13; id. Fam. 8, 5, 1; id. Lael. 22, 82; Quint. 7, 2, 55 al.—
(δ).
Absol.: “misere amans desiderat,” Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 30; id. Mil. 4, 6, 29; Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 16 al.—
B. Of inanimate subjects: “desiderarunt te oculi mei,” Cic. Planc. 5, 13: “nullam virtus aliam mercedem laborum desiderat praeter, etc.,” id. Arch. 11, 28: “ut desiderat laus probationem, sic, etc.,” Quint. 3, 7, 4 et saep.: “desiderant rigari arbores,” Plin. 17, 26, 40, § 249.
II. With predominant idea of lacking, wanting, to miss any thing: “ex me audies, quid in oratione tua desiderem,” Cic. Rep. 2, 38: “si non est, nolis esse neque desideres,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 73: “quid a peritioribus rei militaris desiderari videbatur,” Caes. B. C. 3, 61, 3 et saep.—Esp. with quominus: “praeter quercum Dodonaeam nihil desideramus, quo minus Epirum ipsum possidere videamur,” Cic. Att. 2, 4, 5. —
B. Meton. (effectus pro causa), to lose something; and more freq. pass., to be missing, to be lost: “in eo proelio non amplius CC milites desideravit,” Caes. B. C. 3, 99; cf. id. ib. 3, 71: “ut nulla navis desideraretur,” id. B. G. 5, 23, 3; 7, 11, 8 et saep.: “neque quicquam ex fano praeter unum signum desideratum est,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44; Vell. 2, 52, 6: “ex peditibus triginta,” Curt. 3, 29, 27.—
C. With the notion of inquiring, searching; to investigate, examine, discuss (rare): “sequitur ut morbo laborantibus remedia desiderentur,” Col. 9, 13, 1: “examina,” id. 9, 8, 1.—Impers.: “antequam desideraretur,” before the question should be raised, Vitr. 2, 6, 4.—Hence,
1. dēsīdĕrans , antis, P. a., in Sup. desiderantissimus, in the later writers for desideratissimus, as a term of endearment, heart's desire, best beloved: “vale, domine dulcissime, desiderantissime,” Fronto Ep. 5, 40; M. Aur. ib. 1, 5; “L. Aur. Verus,” ib. 2, 8; Inscr. Orell. 4644.— Adv.: dēsīdĕranter , acc. to no. I., with desire, eagerly (late Lat.): “appetere,” Cassiod. Var. 1, 4.—Comp.: “quanto desiderantius desideras,” Fronto Ep. ad Ver. Imp. 13.—
2. dēsīdĕrātus , a, um, P. a., wished for, longed for, welcome (very rare): “et veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus,” Vulg. Aggaei, 2, 8: blandissima et desideratissimi promissa. Plin. 30, 1, 1, § 2: “fratres desideratissimi,” Vulg. Philip. 4, 1; “and in inscrr. applied to a beloved person: FILIO DESIDERATISSIMO,” Inscr. Orell. 5068; id. Grut. 681, 2 al.
