Desperate (adjective)

1. Feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
2. Feeling or showing a strong desire for something that is difficult to obtain.

Origin:

Middle english, from latin desperatus, past participle of desperare to despair, from de- + sperare to hope.

Examples:

1. He was desperate for a drink.
2. She was desperate for a child.
3. He was in a desperate situation.
4. She was desperate with fear.
5. He was desperate to succeed.