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, 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.
    • "We haven't one chance for life in a hundred thousand if we don't find food and water upon Caprona. This water coming out of the cliff is not salt; but neither is it fit to drink, though each of us has drunk. It is fair...
  3. A want and eager desire (for something); a craving or longing.
    • She had a real thirst for news and that greatly helped her career.
  4. Sexual lust.
    • He had a thirst for her and she had the same for him.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ters- Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Indo-European *térstus Proto-Germanic *þurstuz 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.

Forms

thirsts

Synonyms

craving longing

Related

hunger

Derived

athirst bloodthirst thirst-buster thirster thirstful thirstland thirstless thirst-quenching thirst snake thirst trap thirsty

Verb

  1. To be thirsty.
    • The people thirsted there for water. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 17:3:
  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. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 42:2:

Forms

thirsts thirsting thirsted

Derived

thirstingly unthirsting