The Republicans were, of course, desirous of making the impersonal "septennat" lead to a permanent republic, and declared that Mac-Mahon was not the President of a seven years' republic, but President, for seven years, of the Republic.
"A History of the Third French Republic"
C. H. C. Wright
Had anything unpleasant-was there any reason-" "I had been desirous of leaving for some time back.
"The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. II (of II)"
Charles James Lever
"Sick for" means, desirous of.
"A Key to Lord Tennyson's 'In Memoriam'"
Alfred Gatty