(a) To feel desire;—usu. in as clause; also, gram. of the optative mood: express desire [quot. c1400]; (b) with selected prep. phrases: ~ after, to long for (sth.), desire; long for (Christ); wish for (a child); ~ in-to, have a desire or an inclination toward (sb. or sth.);—used in fig. contexts; also, long for (youth); ~ to, long for (sth.), desire; incline toward (sth.); ~ up to, long to rise up to (Christ); (c) to wish for (sth.), long for, desire;—with obj. sometimes in the gen.; also, covet (sth.); (d) to long for (a state, condition, an occurrence, etc.); also, desire deeply (good health for sb., the love of sb., etc.); (e) to wish (that sb. do sth., that sth. be so, etc.); also, want (oneself or sth. to do sth.), wish for; (f) to wish (to do sth., be so, etc.), desire; impers. me yerneth, I wish (to do sth.).

(a) To desire to find (sb.); desire sight of or communion with (Jesus); also, have sexual desire for (sb.), lust after; desire (sb.) as a mate; ~ to wif; ppl. yerned, beloved, admired, sought after; (b) ?to seek fulfillment of (cravings).

(a) To make demands (for sth.), ask; (b) to ask for (sth.); demand (sth.) [occas. difficult to distinguish from sense 1.(b)]; also, ask for (sb.) as a wife; also, ask (sth. of sb.); ~ to wif; ~ me on honde, demand (sth.) of me; (c) to ask (that sb. do sth., that sth. happen); (d) with inf.: to ask (to do sth.); also with hit as grammatical obj.; (e) to make a request of (sb.).