starve: Meaning and Definition of

starve

Pronunciation: (stärv), [key]
— v., starved, starv•ing.
—v.i.
  1. to die or perish from lack of food or nourishment.
  2. to be in the process of perishing or suffering severely from hunger.
  3. to suffer from extreme poverty and need.
  4. to feel a strong need or desire: The child was starving for affection.
  5. to perish or suffer extremely from cold.
  6. to die.
—v.t.
  1. to cause to starve; kill, weaken, or reduce by lack of food.
  2. to subdue, or force to some condition or action, by hunger: to starve a besieged garrison into a surrender.
  3. to cause to suffer for lack of something needed or craved.
  4. to cause to perish, or to suffer extremely, from cold.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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