desire
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(one's) heart's desire
Something one very much wants or needs. After my six-month tour in Iraq, my heart's desire is just to see my husband again.
See also: desire
burning desire
1. A particularly intense or fervent desire or wish. It has always been my burning desire to be a famous Hollywood star. Global expansion has been the burning desire of the CEO for years.
2. An intense romantic or sexual passion. The warmth of his kiss filled me with burning desire.
consumed by desire
Completely absorbed and controlled by one's passion or lust for something or someone. Jonathan found himself consumed by desire to be with Stephen, such that he could no longer pay attention in class. Many men, consumed by desire for a woman, have committed atrocious and sometimes bizarre acts of depravity. Consumed by his desire to rule the world, the dictator was blind to the mutiny of his advisors.
desires are nourished by delays
proverb One's interest in something will grow as one waits for it. A: "Ugh, I still haven't heard back from the recruiter at my dream job." B: "At least desires are nourished by delays."
earthly desires
Desires for tangible things (such as wealth, property, or other material goods) or for pleasures of the body (such as sexual activity, gluttony, or other hedonistic pursuits). Buddhism teaches us to try to let go of our earthly desires, freeing our minds and bodies for a state of enlightenment. Because our earthly desires are a reflection of our sins, we should shun them if we wish to receive God's light.
first deserve and then desire
proverb You must prove yourself worthy of success by working hard and conscientiously, as desire alone will not make it happen. A: "I want to be the most famous artist in the whole world!" B: "Well, you'll need to spend years honing your craft and establishing your reputation in the art world. First deserve and then desire, you know."
flash with (an emotion)
Of the eyes, to seem to convey a particular feeling or emotion with intensity. Callie's eyes flashed with anger when I accused her of cheating on the test. Of course John's interested in you—his eyes practically flash with desire every time he looks at you. Yeah, my mom knows you—her eyes flashed with recognition when I said your name.
See also: flash
gratify (one's) desires
euphemism To have sex with someone. If he didn't come home last night, I bet it's because that hot chick he met at the bar gratified his desires, if you know what I mean.
See also: desire
leave a great deal to be desired
To be very inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack a large amount of what is desired or required. The film has a very interesting premise, but the final product leaves a great deal to be desired. I wasn't expecting a huge amount from a budget hostel, but this place leaves a great deal to be desired nonetheless.
leave a lot to be desired
To be very inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack a large amount of what is desired or required. The film has a very interesting premise and a story that has quite a bit of potential, but the final product leaves a lot to be desired. I wasn't expecting a huge amount from a budget hostel, but this place leaves a lot to be desired nonetheless.
leave lots to be desired
To be very inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack a large amount of what is desired or required. The film has a very interesting premise, but the final product leaves lots to be desired. I wasn't expecting a huge amount from a budget hostel, but this place leaves lots to be desired nonetheless.
leave much to be desired
To be very inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack a large amount of what is desired or required. The film has a very interesting premise, but the final product leaves much to be desired. I wasn't expecting a huge amount from a budget hostel, but this place leaves much to be desired nonetheless.
leave something to be desired
To be somewhat inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack an indeterminate portion of what is desired or required. The film has a very interesting premise, but the final product leaves something to be desired. I wasn't expecting a huge amount from a budget hostel, but this place leaves something to be desired nonetheless.
to (one's) heart's desire
As much as or to the point that one wants; to the point of contentment, satiety, or surfeit. I've made plenty of food for everyone, so please eat to your heart's desire.
worldly desires
Desires for tangible things (such as wealth, property, or other material goods) or for pleasures of the body (such as sexual activity, gluttony, or other hedonistic pursuits). Buddhism teaches us to try to let go of our worldly desires, freeing our minds and bodies for a state of enlightenment. Because our worldly desires are a reflection of our sins, we should shun them if we wish to receive God's light.
yearning desire
A deep longing. I want to see as much as I can on my trip to England because I've always had a yearning desire to go there.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Desires are nourished by delays.
Prov. The longer you have to wait for something you want, the more eager you will be to get it. The longer I had to postpone my trip to San Francisco, the more eagerly I wanted to go. Desires are nourished by delays.
leave a lot to be desired
Cliché to be lacking something important; to be inadequate. (A polite way of saying that something is bad.) This report leaves a lot to be desired. I'm sorry to have to fire you, Mary, but your work leaves a lot to be desired.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
leave a lot to be desired
Also, leave a great deal or much to be desired . Be imperfect or unsatisfactory. For example, His account of the election leaves a lot to be desired. This usage can also be put in a more positive way, that is, leave nothing to be desired, meaning "to be perfectly satisfactory," as in His account leaves nothing to be desired. [Late 1700s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
your heart's desire
LITERARYIf someone or something is your heart's desire, you want that person or thing very much. Note: The heart is traditionally regarded as the centre of the emotions. He was extremely dishonest in his efforts to achieve his heart's desire.
See also: desire
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
your heart's desire
someone or something that is greatly wished for.See also: desire
leave much (or a lot) to be desired
be highly unsatisfactory.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
leave a lot, much, etc. to be deˈsired
not be good enough: Your standard of work has gone down. In fact it leaves a great deal to be desired. ♢ The acting in some of those early movies left much to be desired.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
burning desire
An ardent wish; excited passion. This figurative use of burning dates back at least to 1700. Sir Richard Steele wrote in The Tatler (1709) of “a burning Desire to join that glorious Company.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer