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famish

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To suffer from extreme and prolonged hunger, often to the point of starvation; implies a profound need for sustenance, used metaphorically to represent intense desire or spiritual lack.

Detailed Definition
The term 'famish' is an archaic word that conveys the idea of severe hunger or deprivation of food. In the context of the poem, it evokes a sense of desperation and longing, contrasting with the act of feeding. The use of 'famish' emphasizes the stark reality of hunger and the human condition in the face of mortality.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Famish and feed" (to starve); "The siege made the city famish for bread" (historical); "His soul famished for a word of kindness" (metaphorical); "Famish the body to feed the spirit" (ascetic); "The winter famished the flock in the fold" (pastoral)
Additional Notes
The word 'famish' appears in the line, highlighting the theme of hunger and need.; Found in the poem, Madrigal by George O'Neil
Also Known As
starve hunger waste away
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