Desperation is the state of being desperate: you have little or no hope, and because of that you may be ready to try almost anything. If you are in desperation, you may do something you would never do when you felt safe — sell what you love, lie, run, shout, take a stupid chance. People also say an act of desperation for one wild move made when every better door has closed.

Desperation is the state of being desperatedesperation是desperate（絕望）的那種狀態：you have little or no hope你幾乎或完全沒有希望，and because of that you may be ready to try almost anything也因此你可能準備好去嘗試幾乎任何辦法。If you are in desperation如果你陷入desperation，you may do something you would never do when you felt safe你可能會做出安全的時候絕不會做的事——sell what you love, lie, run, shout, take a stupid chance賣掉你珍愛的東西、說謊、逃跑、大喊、賭一個很蠢的機會。People also say an act of desperation人們也會說an act of desperation（狗急跳牆之舉），for one wild move made when every better door has closed指的是在所有更好的路都走不通時做出的一個豁出去的舉動。

It is a serious word. You hear it in the news, in stories, and in everyday talk when something really is that bad. Informal cousins are “I'm desperate” and “I have no choice.” The noun names the feeling and the bind you are in; it does not name a person.

It is a serious word這是一個很沉重的字。You hear it in the news, in stories, and in everyday talk when something really is that bad當事情真的很糟時，你會在新聞、故事和日常對話裡聽到它。Informal cousins are "I'm desperate" and "I have no choice."比較口語的近親說法是『I'm desperate』和『I have no choice』。The noun names the feeling and the bind you are in這個名詞指的是那種感覺，還有你所陷入的困境；it does not name a person而不是用來指一個人。

Though actually, speakers often use it for urgency as much as for true hopelessness — “in desperation I called every shop in town” can mean “I had run out of ideas,” not “I had given up on life.” It is also hotter than despair. Despair often sits still. Desperation often pushes.

Though actually, speakers often use it for urgency as much as for true hopelessness不過實際上，說話者用它常常是在講急迫感，不見得是真的絕望——"in desperation I called every shop in town" can mean "I had run out of ideas,"『in desperation I called every shop in town』可能只是在說『我已經想不出別的辦法了』，not "I had given up on life."而不是『我已經放棄人生了』。It is also hotter than despair它也比despair更激烈。Despair often sits stilldespair常常是靜靜地待著，Desperation often pushesdesperation則常常是推著你往前衝。