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definitions

craving

[ krey-ving ]
/ ˈkreɪ vɪŋ /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR craving ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

great or eager desire; yearning.

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RELATED WORDS

longing, itch, hankering, hunger, thirst, lust, yearning, passion, appetite, need, urge, yen, hurting, munchies

Nearby words

  1. cravat bandage,
  2. crave,
  3. craveable,
  4. craven,
  5. cravenly,
  6. cravingly,
  7. cravings,
  8. craw,
  9. craw-thumper,
  10. crawdad

Origin of craving

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at crave, -ing1
Related formscrav·ing·ly, adverbcrav·ing·ness, nounun·crav·ing, adjectiveun·crav·ing·ly, adverb

Synonym study

See desire.

crave

[ kreyv ]
/ kreɪv /

verb (used with object), craved, crav·ing.

to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly: to crave sweets; to crave affection.
to require; need: a problem craving prompt attention.
to ask earnestly for (something); beg for.
to ask (a person) earnestly for something or to do something.

verb (used without object), craved, crav·ing.

to beg or plead (usually followed by for).

Origin of crave

before 1000; Middle English craven, Old English crafian; akin to Old Norse krefja to demand, lay claim to
SYNONYMS FOR crave
1. yearn for, hunger for.
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR crave ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formscrav·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for craving

British Dictionary definitions for craving

craving

/ (ˈkreɪvɪŋ) /

noun

an intense desire or longing

crave

/ (kreɪv) /

verb

(when intr, foll by for or after) to desire intensely; long (for)
(tr) to need greatly or urgently
(tr) to beg or plead for
Derived Formscraver, noun

Word Origin for crave

Old English crafian; related to Old Norse krefja to demand, krǣfr strong; see craft
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for craving

crave

v.

Old English crafian "ask, implore, demand by right," from North Germanic *krabojan (cf. Old Norse krefja "to demand," Danish kræve, Swedish kräva); perhaps related to craft in its base sense of "power." Current sense "to long for" is c.1400, probably through intermediate meaning "to ask very earnestly" (c.1300). Related: Craved; craving.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper