famish

American  

[fam-ish] / ˈfæm ɪʃ /

verb (used with or without object)

Archaic.

1. to suffer or cause to suffer extreme hunger; starve.

2. to starve to death.

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famish British  

/ ˈfæmɪʃ /

verb

1. (now usually passive) to be or make very hungry or weak

2. archaic to die or cause to die from starvation

3. to make very cold

   I was famished with the cold

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Other Word Forms

• famishment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of famish

1350–1400; Middle English famisshe, equivalent to famen to starve (< Anglo-French, Middle French afamer < Vulgar Latin *affamāre, equivalent to Latin af- af- + famāre, derivative of famēs hunger) + -isshe -ish ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

famish

The President pondered, smiled, said: "Well, they can't famish on that."

From Time Magazine Archive

Bennet, contained in the first volume of the Geological Society Transactions, may famish the inquisitive reader with a short summary of the principal appearances on which this opinion rests.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 12 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Robert Kerr

It never rains out of season, and were it not for the heavy night dews, the very birds would famish.

From Los Gringos Or, An Inside View of Mexico and California, with Wanderings in Peru, Chili, and Polynesia by H. A. (Henry Augustus) Wise

While living bodies famish and living eyes burn for the sight of beauty.

From Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays by Various

They urged Him not to listen to Ramchandra and famish Himself, but to return to His old diet and accept invitations.

From Chaitanya's Life And Teachings From his contemporary Begali biography the Chaitanya-charit-amrita by K???ad?sa Kavir?ja Gosv?mi

Related Words

• abstain