dēsīdĕrĭum, ii, n. [desidero], a longing, ardent desire or wish, properly for something once possessed; grief, regret for the absence or loss of any thing (for syn. cf.: optio, optatio, cupido, cupiditas, studium, appetitio, voluntas—freq. and class.).
I Prop.
α With gen. object. : te desiderium Athenarum cepisset, Ter. Hec. 88; cf.: me desiderium tenet urbis, Cic. Fam. 2, 11; Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 22; and, locorum, Ov. Tr. 3, 2, 21: rerum earum, Lucr. 3, 901; cf. id. 3, 922; 918: esse in desiderio alicujus, Cic. Fam. 2, 12 fin. : desiderium conjunctissimi viri ferre, id. Lael. 27, 104: Scipionis desiderio moveri, id. ib. 3, 10: tam cari capitis, Hor. Od. 1, 24, 1: defuncti, Suet. Calig. 6 et saep.: desiderio id fieri tuo (for tui), Ter. Heaut. 307; cf.: voluntas, in qua inest aliqua vis desiderii ad sanandum volnus injuriae, Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 14.—
β Absol. : pectora dura tenet desiderium, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 41: alicui esse magno desiderio, Ter. Heaut. 753: explere exspectationem diuturni desiderii, Cic. de Or. 1, 47, 205: quo (desiderio) conficior, id. Or. 10: ex desiderio laborare, id. Fam. 6, 11: facere aliquid cum desiderio, id. Lael. 21, 81: demus hoc desiderio jam pene publico, Quint. 8, 4, 29 et saep. In plur.: desideria alicujus commovere, Cic. Rab. perd. 9, 24; Hor. Od. 4, 5, 15 et saep.
II Trop., of a person, as the object of longing: nunc desiderium, curaque non levis, Hor. Od. 1, 14, 18: desiderio meo nitenti, Cat. 2, 5; and as a term of endearment: mea lux, meum desiderium ... valete, mea desideria, valete, Cic. Fam. 14, 2, 2 fin. ; Cat. 2, 5.—
III Transf.
A Want, need, necessity , in general (rare; not ante-Aug.): cibi potionisque desiderium naturale, Liv. 21, 4 et saep.: pro desiderio corporum, Plin. 11, 50, 111, § 264: desideria scabendi, id. 30, 14, 43, § 127 al.—
B In the time of the empire, a request, petition on the part of inferiors: desideria militum ad Caesarem ferenda, Tac. A. 1, 19; 1, 26; Suet. Aug. 17; Plin. Pan. 79, 6; Dig. 1, 16, 9; 25, 3, 5.—
C Desires, pleasures (late Lat.): servientibus desideriis et voluptatibus, Vulg. Tit. 3, 3: carnis, id. Ephes. 2, 3.