wish

/ˈwish/

Middle English wisshen, from Old English wȳscan; akin to Old High German wunsken to wish, Sanskrit vāñchati he wishes, vanoti he strives for

verb

  1. to have a desire for (something, such as something unattainable)

  2. to give expression to as a wish : bid

  3. to give form to (a wish)

wished he could live his life over

desire wish want crave covet mean to have a longing for. desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim. wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable.

noun

  1. an act or instance of wishing or desire : want

  2. an object of desire : goal

  3. an expressed will or desire : mandate

a wish to travel

noun

  1. the gratification of a desire especially symbolically (as in dreams, daydreams, or neurotic symptoms)