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Chan-Seung Lee
Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 1032
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 Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: desperate |
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1. I had no money left and was desperate.
2. Time was running out and we were getting desperate.
3.She was desperate with fear.
4.the missing teenager's desperate parents
5.We are in desperate need of help. |
I am confused with the meaning of 'desperate' because of its multiful meaning.
What words or phrases can 'desperate' each in the quote be replaced with?
Thanks. |
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pugachevV
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2295
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| Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Desperate comes from the Latin desperatus = deprived of hope.
So all the meanings of desperate are close to that.
In all your examples the basic sense is that the case is hopeless, that hope has been given up etc.
Sometimes, people will exaggerate and use desperate rather than a less dramatic ( and more correct) word.
For example: She was desperate for a cup of tea, so she phoned room service to bring one up.
If you can phone room service desperate is not the correct word. |
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