thirst
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United States//θɝst//
- Australia//θɜːst//
- New Zealand//θøːst//
- Scotland//θɪɹst//
- //θeːst//
A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (such as fear, excitement, etc.) which stops the secretion of the pharyngeal mucous membrane.
noun
- 1
A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (such as fear, excitement, etc.) which stops the secretion of the pharyngeal mucous membrane.
We developed a great thirst during our hike.
He had quite a thirst on and so headed to his favourite Dublin pub.
- 2
The condition producing the sensation of thirst.
If you go out in the desert for long without water, the thirst can drive you mad.
- 3
figurativeA want and eager desire (for something); a craving or longing.
She had a real thirst for news and that greatly helped her career.
- 4
figurativeSexual lust.
He had a thirst for her and she had the same for him.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *þurstu Old English þurst Old English þyrstaninflu. Middle English thirst English thirst From Middle English thirst, thurst, from Old English þurst, from Proto-West Germanic *þurstu, from Proto-Germanic *þurstuz, from Proto-Indo-European *ters- (“dry”). Germanic cognates include Old High German thurst, Middle High German durst, German Durst, Old Saxon thurst, Old Dutch thursti, Middle Dutch dorst, dorste, Dutch dorst, Old Norse þorsti (Swedish törst, Icelandic þorsti, Faroese tosti, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål tørst, Norwegian Nynorsk tørste). Indo-European cognates include Ancient Greek τέρσομαι (térsomai), Albanian djersë (“sweat”), Sanskrit तृष्णा (tṛṣṇā, “desire; thirst”), Sanskrit तृष्यति (tṛ́ṣyati), Latin terra, Latin torridus.
verb
- 1
To be thirsty.
The people thirsted there for water.
- 2
To desire vehemently.
I thirst for knowledge and education will sate me.
to be thirsted for one's blood
My soul thirsteth for […] the living God.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Forms
- plural
- thirsts
- past tense
- thirsted
- past participle
- thirsted
- present participle
- thirsting
- third person singular
- thirsts
thirst · A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (such as fear,…
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