famished

[ fam-isht ]

/ ˈfæm ɪʃt /

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adjective

extremely hungry: to be famished after a hike;famished multitudes in the immediate postwar period.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of famished

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; famish + -ed²

half-fam·ished, adjective

North Korea is this impoverished, famished regime, but they have our attention because they have nuclear weapons.
What Bret Stephens Said At Yeshiva University|Bret Stephens|October 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Famished Financier Dear Famished: You, sir, have come to the right place.
A Declaration of Financial Independence|Megan McArdle|February 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Dash Snow was an artist whose subject matter involved rats, famished dogs, squalid sex, police brutality, and street life.
Dash Snow: Death of an Art Star|Ana Finel Honigman|July 16, 2009|DAILY BEAST
But this one swift achievement only whetted the famished appetite to more creative ardor.
The Dragon Painter|Mary McNeil Fenollosa

All these famished islanders, in the depths of their savage country, promised each other to meet at the Nabob's table.
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
In November, fifteen martyrs were imprisoned in Canterbury castle, of whom all were either burnt or famished.
Fox's Book of Martyrs|John Foxe
He helps you to a deep gully, and there you remain till evening, half-famished for food.
The Duty of Disobedience to the Fugitive Slave Act|Lydia Maria Child
As soon as he discovered me, a bright gleam passed over his countenance, and he instantly held out to me that famished hand.
The Duty of Disobedience to the Fugitive Slave Act|Lydia Maria Child