Definition

1. Noun:

   • A strong desire or craving for something: This refers to a powerful want or need that is not related to food or drink, such as a desire for knowledge, affection, or success.
   • The physical feeling of needing food; the state of being without food: This is the physiological condition resulting from a lack of nourishment.

2. Verb:

   • To feel a need or desire to eat; to be hungry: This is the basic action of experiencing physical hunger.
   • To have a strong desire or craving for something: This describes the action of wanting something very much, similar to the noun's figurative sense.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The charity works to end hunger in the region. (Here, "hunger" means the state of not having enough food.)
  • She has a hunger for adventure that drives her to travel. (Here, "hunger" is a strong, non-physical desire.)

• Verb:

  • After the long hike, they began to hunger for a good meal. (Here, "hunger" is used as a verb meaning to feel physically hungry.)
  • He hungered for recognition after years of hard work. (Here, "hunger" is used as a verb meaning to deeply desire something.)

Advanced Usage

• "to hunger after/for something": This is a common verb phrase used to express a deep, often emotional, longing.
  • The artist hungered for creative freedom.
• "a hunger strike": A compound noun referring to the act of refusing to eat as a form of protest.
  • The prisoners went on a hunger strike to demand better conditions.

Variants and Related Words

• Hungry (adjective): Feeling or showing a need for food; having a strong desire.
  • The children were hungry after playing.
  • She is hungry for success.
• Hungrily (adverb): In a way that shows hunger or strong desire.
  • He ate the bread hungrily.

Synonyms

• Noun (physical): Starvation, famine, emptiness.
• Noun (desire): Craving, thirst, longing, yearning, appetite.
• Verb (desire): Crave, yearn, long, thirst.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• Hunger for/after (something): To want something very much.
  • He hungered for her approval.
• Hunger out (archaic/rare): To force someone to leave a place by depriving them of food. (Note: This is an older or less common usage.)
  • Historically, armies would try to hunger out a besieged city.

Related Idioms

• "to have a hunger for": To possess a strong desire for something.
  • She has a real hunger for learning new languages.
• "to die of hunger": To die from lack of food.
  • Without aid, many in the drought-stricken area would die of hunger.

Noun

1. strong desire for something (not food or drink)
   • a thirst for knowledge
   • hunger for affection
2. a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation

Verb

1. be hungry; go without food
   • Let's eat--I'm starving!
2. have a craving, appetite, or great desire for
3. feel the need to eat