Our desperate efforts sometimes continued for days at a time, across hundreds of miles.

With a conscious and almost desperate effort of will, I turned my mind to other things.

With his third cup of tea he made a desperate effort to change the subject.

They took to the land in a desperate effort to feed themselves.

With less than a desperate effort he actually sat up.

He made a desperate effort to take advantage of his opportunity.

By a desperate effort of will, he forced his eyes to remain open.

He had almost all of his old speed, but it hurt me to see him work with such desperate effort.

He made one last desperate effort to get his gun out.

He looked straight ahead and made a desperate final effort.