famish
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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to suffer or cause to suffer extreme hunger; starve.
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to starve to death.
verb
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(now usually passive) to be or make very hungry or weak
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archaic to die or cause to die from starvation
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to make very cold
I was famished with the cold
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The President pondered, smiled, said: "Well, they can't famish on that."
From Time Magazine Archive
Relief must soon come from some quarter, else many in this community will famish.
From A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital by John Beauchamp Jones
Unscrupulous as he is in the matter of idiotic jokes, I know him well enough to be sure that he wouldn't leave us here to famish.
From Stranded in Arcady by Francis Lynde
"The sea-air makes one famish," said a gay voice outside.
From Bred in the Bone by James Payn
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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
