Basic Details
Word: Desperate
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Feeling a great need or wanting something very badly, often because of a difficult or hopeless situation.
Synonyms: Frantic, hopeless, distressed
Antonyms: Calm, content, hopeful
Idioms and Phrases
- Desperate times call for desperate measures: This means that in serious or difficult situations, one must take extreme actions. Example: "When the storm hit, we had to leave our home; desperate times called for desperate measures."
- Grasping at straws: Trying to find solutions, even if they are unlikely to help. Example: "After failing his exams, he was grasping at straws when he hoped for a last-minute miracle.
Usage Examples
Example 1: She was desperate to find her lost puppy and searched the entire neighbourhood.
Example 2: In a desperate attempt to save his failing grade, he studied all night for the exam.
Example 3: The team became desperate as they realised they needed to score a goal to win the match.
Fun Fact
The word "desperate" comes from the Latin word "desperare," which means "to lose hope." Its interesting how language connects emotions and experiences through history.
Famous Quote
"Desperation is sometimes as powerful an agent as the reason." James C. Collins
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "desperate" mean?
a) Feeling very relaxed
b) Feeling a great need or hopelessness
c) Feeling joyful
d) Feeling sleepy
Answer: b) Feeling a great need or hopelessness
2. Which of these is a synonym of "desperate"?
a) Happy
b) Content
c) Hopeless
d) Calm
Answer: c) Hopeless
3. Which of the following is an antonym of "desperate"?
a) Frantic
b) Hopeful
c) Distressed
d) Distressed
Answer: b) Hopeful
4. Which example correctly uses the word "desperate"?
a) She was desperate to go on holiday and booked a flight immediately.
b) The cat was desperate for its dinner and meowed quietly.
c) He felt desperate when he lost his favourite toy and didnt care.
d) The boy felt desperate to finish his homework and went to play instead.
Answer: a) She was desperate to go on holiday and booked a flight immediately.
5. Which idiom relates to "desperate"?
a) Grasping at straws
b) Once in a blue moon
c) The ball is in your court
d) As easy as pie
Answer: a) Grasping at straws
