Main Entry:

starve

Pronunciation:

\ˈstärv\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

starved; starv·ing

Etymology:

Middle English sterven to die, starve, from Old English steorfan to die; akin to Old High German sterban to die, and probably to Lithuanian starinti to stiffen — more at stare

Date:

15th century

intransitive verb1 a: to perish from lack of food b: to suffer extreme hunger2 aarchaic : to die of cold bBritish : to suffer greatly from cold3: to suffer or perish from deprivation <starved for affection>transitive verb1 a: to kill with hunger b: to deprive of nourishment c: to cause to capitulate by or as if by depriving of nourishment2: to destroy by or cause to suffer from deprivation3archaic : to kill with cold