land-hungry
Definition
Adjective:
Desiring to acquire land: "land-hungry" describes a person, group, or nation that has a strong, often urgent desire to obtain or expand territory, farmland, or property.
Usage Examples
- (They had a strong desire to acquire more land.)
- (A country eager to gain territory.)
- (A farmer intensely wanting more farmland.)
Advanced Usage
"land-hungry" as a compound modifier: Often used to describe a specific group or policy.
- The land-hungry policies of the empire led to centuries of conflict. (Policies driven by a desire for territorial expansion.)
In economic contexts: Can refer to a market or sector eager for real estate development.
- The land-hungry developers quickly snapped up the abandoned industrial sites. (Developers highly motivated to acquire land for building.)
Variants and Related Words
Land hunger (noun phrase): the strong desire or need for land.
- The land hunger of the 19th century drove many pioneers to the frontier. (The collective urge to own land.)
Hungry for land (phrasal adjective): a synonymous expression.
- They were hungry for land and would not stop until they owned a farm. (Desiring land intensely.)
Synonyms
- Acquisitive: eager to acquire possessions, especially land.
- Territorial: relating to the desire to control or expand territory.
- Grasping: wanting more land in a greedy or selfish way.
Related Idioms
To have a hunger for land: to feel a strong craving or need for land.
- He had a hunger for land that could never be satisfied. (An insatiable desire for land.)
To be land-mad: to be obsessed with acquiring land (archaic or regional).
- The king was land-mad, always planning new conquests. (Obsessively focused on gaining territory.)