Search the Dictionary

Inclination; will; disposition; desire. [Obs.] They rather counseled you to your talent than to your profit. Chaucer.

To tease or torment by presenting some good to the view and exciting desire, but continually frustrating the expectations by keeping that good out of reach; to tease; to torment. Thy vain desires, at strife Within themselves, have tantalized thy life. Dryden.

A nervous affection producing melancholy, stupor, and an uncontrollable desire to dance. It was supposed to be produced by the bite of the tarantula, and considered to be incapable of cure except by protraced dancing to appropriate music. [Written also tarentism.]

To have or get a proper or desired state or quality; to grow soft and pliable. I have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb, and shortly will I seal with him. Shak.

r closing the damper of a stove, or the like, as the heat becomes greater or less than is desired.

Fig.: A want and eager desire after anything; a craving or longing; -- usually with for, of, or after; as, the thirst for gold. "Thirst of worldy good." Fairfax. "The thirst I had of knowledge." Milton.

rst; having a painful or distressing sensation from want of drink; hence, having an eager desire. Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. Judges iv. 19.

hority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith, etc. Say, by this token, I desire his company. Shak.

r parch, as drugs, on a metallic plate till they are friable, or are reduced to the state desired.

An insane desire for intoxicating or poisonous drugs, as alcohol or opium. B. W. Richardson.

A level passage driven across the measures, or at right angles to veins which it is desired to reach; -- distinguished from the drift, or gangway, which is led along the vein when reached by the tunnel. Tunnel head (Metal.), the top of a smelting furnace where the materials are put in. -- Tunnel kiln, a limekiln in wh…

A slight nervous excitement or agitation, such as is caused by desire, expectation, or suspense. A widow, who had a twittering towards a second husband, took a gossiping companion to manage the job. L'Estrange.

to almost any adjective, or participle used adjectively, or adverb, from which it may be desired to form a corresponding negative adjective or adverb, and is also, but less freely, prefixed to nouns. Un- sometimes has merely an intensive force; as in unmerciless, unremorseless. I.

Not successful; not producing the desired event; not fortunate; meeting with, or resulting in, failure; unlucky; unhappy. -- Un`suc*cess"ful*ly, adv. -- Un`suc*cess"ful*ness, n.

Adaptation to satisfy the desires or wants; intrinsic value. See Note under Value, 2. Value in use is utility, and nothing else, and in political economy should be called by that name and no other. F. A. Walker.

The quality or state of being vain; want of substance to satisfy desire; emptiness; unsubstantialness; unrealness; falsity. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. Eccl. i. 2. Here I may well show the vanity of that which is reported in the story of Walsingham. Sir J. Davies.…

passionate; as, a vehement affection or passion. "Vehement instigation." Shak. "Vehement desire." Milton.

The lowest degree of desire; imperfect or incomplete volition. Locke.

Adapted to excite venereal desire; aphrodisiac.

Very bitter in enmity; actuated by a desire to injure; malignant; as, a virulent invective.