Lewis & Short

dē-sīdĕro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [etym. dub.; cf. considero], to long for, greatly wish for, to desire something not possessed (freq. and class.—for syn. cf.: opto, requiro, expeto, appeto, affecto, cupio, concupisco, aveo, gestio, capto, volo).

  1. I. In gen., with acc.: Dies noctesque me ames, me desideres, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 113: quam tu filium tuom, tam pater me meus desiderat, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 66: natura quid velit, anquirat, desideret, Cic. Lael. 24: nec sitio honores, nec desidero gloriam, id. Q. Fr. 3, 5, 3: dum illa desideramus, ab aliis avertimur, Quint. 10, 6, 7: quid desideremus aut deprecemur, id. 4, 1, 52: nec nunc vires desidero adolescentis non plus quam adolescens tauri aut elephanti desiderabam, Cic. de Sen. 9; Caes. B. C. 3, 74, 2: desiderantem quod satis est, Hor. Od. 3, 1, 25: Sextilem totum mendax desideror, id. Ep. 1, 7, 2 et saep.
          1. (β) With acc. and inf.: me gratiam aps te inire verbis nil desidero, Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 10: mihi dari haud desidero, id. Merc. 1, 2, 37: quo ullam rem ad se importari desiderent, Caes. B. G. 4, 2.
            With inf. alone: mori, Vulg. Apoc. 9, 6.
          2. (γ) With ab or in: ab Chrysippo nihil magnum desideravi, Cic. Rep. 3, 8; id. Att. 8, 14, 2; Quint. 3, 1, 2 al.: ab milite modestiam et continentiam, Caes. B. G. 7, 52 fin.: in quo (Catone) summam eloquentiam, Cic. Brut. 31, 118; id. Fin. 5, 5, 13; id. Fam. 8, 5, 1; id. Lael. 22, 82; Quint. 7, 2, 55 al.
          3. (δ) Absol.: misere amans desiderat, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 30; id. Mil. 4, 6, 29; Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 16 al.
    1. B. Of inanimate subjects: desiderarunt te oculi mei, Cic. Planc. 5, 13: nullam virtus aliam mercedem laborum desiderat praeter, etc., id. Arch. 11, 28: ut desiderat laus probationem, sic, etc., Quint. 3, 7, 4 et saep.: desiderant rigari arbores, Plin. 17, 26, 40, § 249.
  2. II. With predominant idea of lacking, wanting, to miss any thing: ex me audies, quid in oratione tua desiderem, Cic. Rep. 2, 38: si non est, nolis esse neque desideres, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 73: quid a peritioribus rei militaris desiderari videbatur, Caes. B. C. 3, 61, 3 et saep.
    Esp. with quominus: praeter quercum Dodonaeam nihil desideramus, quo minus Epirum ipsum possidere videamur, Cic. Att. 2, 4, 5.
    1. B. Meton. (effectus pro causa), to lose something; and more freq. pass., to be missing, to be lost: in eo proelio non amplius CC milites desideravit, Caes. B. C. 3, 99; cf. id. ib. 3, 71: ut nulla navis desideraretur, id. B. G. 5, 23, 3; 7, 11, 8 et saep.: neque quicquam ex fano praeter unum signum desideratum est, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44; Vell. 2, 52, 6: ex peditibus triginta, Curt. 3, 29, 27.
    2. C. With the notion of inquiring, searching; to investigate, examine, discuss (rare): sequitur ut morbo laborantibus remedia desiderentur, Col. 9, 13, 1: examina, id. 9, 8, 1.
      Impers.: antequam desideraretur, before the question should be raised, Vitr. 2, 6, 4.
      Hence,
      1. 1. dēsīdĕrans, antis, P. a., in Sup. desiderantissimus, in the later writers for desideratissimus, as a term of endearment, heart’s desire, best beloved: vale, domine dulcissime, desiderantissime, Fronto Ep. 5, 40; M. Aur. ib. 1, 5; L. Aur. Verus, ib. 2, 8; Inscr. Orell. 4644.
        Adv.: dēsīdĕranter, acc. to no. I., with desire, eagerly (late Lat.): appetere, Cassiod. Var. 1, 4.
        Comp.: quanto desiderantius desideras, Fronto Ep. ad Ver. Imp. 13.
      2. 2. dēsīdĕrātus, a, um, P. a., wished for, longed for, welcome (very rare): et veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus, Vulg. Aggaei, 2, 8: blandissima et desideratissimi promissa. Plin. 30, 1, 1, § 2: fratres desideratissimi, Vulg. Philip. 4, 1; and in inscrr. applied to a beloved person: FILIO DESIDERATISSIMO, Inscr. Orell. 5068; id. Grut. 681, 2 al.