famish
pronunciation
How to pronounce famish in British English: UK ['fæmɪʃ]
How to pronounce famish in American English: US [ˈfæmɪʃ]
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- Verb:
- be hungry; go without food
- deprive of food
- die of food deprivation
Word Origin
- famish (v.)
- "cause to hunger," c. 1400, famyschen, "alteration of famen (late 14c.), a shortening of Old French afamer (12c., Modern French affamer), from Vulgar Latin *affamare "to bring to hunger," from ad famem, from Latin fames "hunger" (see famine). Ending changed mid-14c. to -ish under influence of ravish, anguish, etc. It also once had an intransitive sense and was so used by Shakespeare and Milton. Related: Famished; famishing.