HUNGER

hunger, hungriness, thirst, thirstiness

(noun) strong desire for something (not food or drink); “a thirst for knowledge”; “hunger for affection”

hunger, hungriness

(noun) a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation

starve, hunger, famish

(verb) be hungry; go without food; “Let’s eat--I’m starving!”

crave, hunger, thirst, starve, lust

(verb) have a craving, appetite, or great desire for

hunger

(verb) feel the need to eat

Source: WordNet® 3.1

---

Etymology 1

Noun

hunger (countable and uncountable, plural hungers)

A need or compelling desire for food.

(by extension) Any strong desire.

Usage notes

The phrase be hungry is more common than have hunger to express a need for food.

Antonyms

• satiety

• satiation

Etymology 2

Verb

hunger (third-person singular simple present hungers, present participle hungering, simple past and past participle hungered)

(intransitive) To be in need of food.

(figuratively, intransitive, usually with 'for' or 'after') To have a desire (for); to long; to yearn.

(archaic, transitive) To make hungry; to famish.

Anagrams

• rehung

Source: Wiktionary

---

Hun"ger, n. Etym: [AS. hungor; akin to OFries. hunger, D. honger, OS. & OHG. hungar, G. hunger, Icel. hungr, Sw. & Dan. hunger, Goth. h hunger, huggrjan to hunger.]

1. An uneasy sensation occasioned normally by the want of food; a craving or desire for food.

Note: The sensation of hunger is usually referred to the stomach, but is probably dependent on excitation of the sensory nerves, both of the stomach and intestines, and perhaps also on indirect impressions from other organs, more or less exhausted from lack of nutriment.

2. Any strong eager desire. O sacred hunger of ambitious minds! Spenser. For hunger of my gold I die. Dryden.

Hun"ger, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hungered; p. pr. & vb. n. Hungering.] Etym: [OE. hungren, AS. hyngrian. See Hunger, n.]

1. To feel the craving or uneasiness occasioned by want of food; to be oppressed by hunger.

2. To have an eager desire; to long. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteouness. Matt. v. 6.

Hun"ger, v. t.

Definition: To make hungry; to famish.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

---