starvestarve /stɑːv $ stɑːrv/ ●●○ S3 verb 
Thousands of people will starve if food doesn’t reach the city. pictures of starving children They’ll either die from the cold or starve to death (=die from lack of food).2[transitive] to prevent someone from having enough food to live: The poor dog looked like it had been starved.3be starving (also be starved American English) to be very hungry: You must be starving!starve somebody/something of something (also starve somebody/something for something American English) phrasal verb to not give something that is neededbe starved of something The schools are starved of funding.be starved for something The poor kid’s just starved for attention.GRAMMAR Starve of/for is usually passive.starve somebody ↔ out phrasal verb to force someone to leave a place by preventing them from getting food: If we can’t blast them out, we’ll starve them out!
WORD ORIGINstarve
Origin:
Old English steorfan ‘to die’VERB TABLE
starve
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | starve |
| he, she, it | starves | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | starved |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have starved |
| he, she, it | has starved | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had starved |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will starve |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have starved |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am starving |
| he, she, it | is starving | |
| you, we, they | are starving | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was starving |
| you, we, they | were starving | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been starving |
| he, she, it | has been starving | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been starving |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be starving |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been starving |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- In 1884, the crew of Young's ship nearly starved when they were blown off course.
- The prisoners were taken out into the desert and left to starve.
- The world cannot stand by and watch while these people starve.
- Unless these people get food in the next two weeks they will starve to death.
- And the ban will stay in place as long as the coastal strip is starved of much needed rain.
- Everyone around us was starving too.
- I was away in the Army and always starved for news for home.
- Reason that is disengaged and tightly regulated would starve other human faculties, they believed.
- The entire population had starved to death.
Longman Language Activatorto not have enough of something
· The computer doesn't have enough memory - it just crashes all the time.not have enough time/money etc to do something · We don't have enough time to go shopping now.not have enough to do/eat/ drink etc · The number of children in the cities that do not have enough to eat is rising daily.
to not have enough money to do something: · We can't afford a really good printer right now.· I know I can't really afford it, but I want to buy her something nice.can't afford to do something (=not have enough money to do it): · I can't afford to fly, so I'm renting a car.· I can't afford to have any more unpaid days off.
to not have enough of something that is necessary, such as money or food: · I was short of money, so George lent me $20.· The county is short of affordable housing, and the situation is getting worse.· The pilot knew the plane was low on fuel.
informal to have less than you should have of a useful or important quality: · Warren is a good worker, but short on new ideas.· I sometimes felt our evenings together were a little short on fun.
to be using so much of something that you will soon not have enough of it left: · We're running out of time - can you finish up quickly?· Is the world running out of natural resources?· The refugees are running short of supplies and winter is approaching.
to have only just enough money or just enough of a supply of something, so that you have to be very careful about how you use it: · With a hundred thousand new people in the area, city resources are stretched. be stretched to the breaking point/the limit (=to have so little of something that you are likely to fail): · If this cut in resources occurs, it could severely damage a social fabric that is already stretched to the breaking point.be stretched thin American: · The army's supply lines in the area along the southern border were stretched dangerously thin.
informal to not have enough money at the present time: · We sold the restaurant when we were strapped for cash a few years ago.· If you are seriously strapped for cash, I'm sure Robert could give you a job.
not containing as much of a particular substance or not having as much of a particular quality as is necessary - used especially in scientific contexts: deficient in: · Your diet is deficient in vitamins.protein/nutrient/iron etc deficient: · Only hormone-deficient children are allowed to use the drug.
to be given much less of something than is needed: · Most of the animals are just starved of attention.· She admitted that living on the island she had been starved of conversation and ideas.· Starved of foreign aid money, the country collapsed into war last year.
not having enough food someone who is starving has not had enough food for a long time and will die soon if they do not eat: · The people are starving and they need all the food and medical supplies we can give them.· They have barely enough money to keep them from starving.· a country full of starving peoplethe starving (=people who are starving): · The homeless and the starving, refugees of the war, were flocking to the cities.
to have so little food to eat that you become ill or die: · The prisoners were taken out into the desert and left to starve.· In 1884, the crew of Young's ship nearly starved when they were blown off course.starve to death (=starve and die): · Unless these people get food in the next two weeks they will starve to death.
if people are hungry , they need food but do not have enough food to eat over a long period of time: · My children are hungry, I need a job.· Hungry people crowded around the relief wagon for food. go hungry (=not get food to eat): · If the crops fail again this year thousands of people will go hungry.
to not be given enough food, so that you are becoming ill: · The refugees in the camps are not getting enough to eat, and the living conditions are terrible.· A baby who is not gaining weight is probably not getting enough to eat.
thin and looking ill because you do not have enough to eat: · Poor dog! He looks half-starved.· The soldiers were dirty and half-starved.
written people or animals who are underfed are not being given enough food to eat: · The servants were overworked and underfed.· fields full of underfed cattle
formal unhealthy and thin because you have not had the right kinds of food over a long period of time: · During the 1930s a large proportion of Britain's urban population was malnourished.
WORD SETSabscess, nounache, verbache, nounacne, nounagoraphobia, nounagoraphobic, nounague, noun-aholic, suffixAIDS, nounailment, nounairsick, adjectivealbino, nounalcoholic, nounalcoholism, nounallergic, adjectiveallergy, nounamnesia, nounamputee, nounanaemia, nounanaemic, adjectiveangina, nounanorexia, nounanorexic, adjectiveantacid, nounanthrax, nounantibody, nounantidepressant, nounantidote, nounantigen, nounantihistamine, nounanti-inflammatory, adjectiveantitoxin, nounapoplectic, adjectiveapoplexy, nounappendicitis, nounarteriosclerosis, nounarthritis, nounaseptic, adjectiveaspirin, nounasthma, nounastigmatism, nounasymptomatic, adjectiveathlete's foot, nounatrophy, verbauto-immune disease, nounAyurvedic medicine, nounbaby blues, nounbacillus, nounbackache, nounbark, verbbattle fatigue, nounBCG, nounbedridden, adjectivebedsore, nounbed-wetting, nounbellyache, nounbenign, adjectiveberiberi, nounbespectacled, adjectivebetter, adjectivebilious, adjectivebinge, verbbiopsy, nounbirthmark, nounbite, verbbite, nounblack and blue, adjectiveBlack Death, the, black eye, nounblackout, nounbleed, verbbleeding, nounblind, verbblister, nounblister, verbblood bank, nounblood donor, nounblood poisoning, nounbloodshot, adjectiveblood transfusion, nounbloody, adjectivebloody, verbblue baby, nounboil, nounbotulism, nounbrain damage, nounbreakdown, nounbronchitis, nounbruise, nounbruise, verbBSE, nounbubonic plague, nounbug, nounbulimia, nounbump, nounbunion, nounbuzz, verbcalloused, adjectivecallus, nouncancer, nouncandida, nouncanker, nouncarbuncle, nouncarcinogen, nouncarcinogenic, adjectivecarcinoma, nouncardiac, adjectivecardiovascular, adjectivecaries, nouncarpal tunnel syndrome, nouncarrier, nouncarry, verbcarsick, adjectivecast, nouncasualty, nouncataract, nouncatarrh, nouncatatonic, adjectivecatching, adjectivecauliflower ear, nouncerebral palsy, nouncertify, verbcervical smear, nounchapped, adjectivecharley horse, nounchemotherapy, nounchesty, adjectivechicken pox, nounchilblains, nounChinese medicine, nouncholera, nounchronic, adjectivecirrhosis, nounCJD, nouncleanse, verbcleft palate, nounclinic, nounclinical, adjectiveclub foot, nouncold, nouncold sore, nouncolic, nouncolitis, nouncollapse, verbcolour-blind, adjectivecoma, nouncommon cold, nouncommon denominator, nouncommunicate, verbcomplaint, nouncomplicate, verbcomplication, nouncompound fracture, nounconcuss, verbconcussion, nouncondition, nouncongenital, adjectivecongested, adjectiveconjunctivitis, nounconstipation, nounconsumption, nounconsumptive, nouncontagion, nouncontagious, adjectivecontinent, adjectivecontract, verbcontusion, nounconvalesce, verbconvulsion, nouncorn, nouncortisone, nouncot death, nouncough, nounCPR, nouncrack-up, nouncramp, nounCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease, nouncrick, nouncrick, verbcripple, nouncripple, verbcross-eyed, adjectivecroup, nouncurable, adjectivecut, nouncyst, nouncystic fibrosis, nouncystitis, noundecompression sickness, noundeep vein thrombosis, noundeformity, noundegenerative, adjectivedehydrate, verbdelirious, adjectivedelirium, noundelusion, noundementia, noundengue fever, noundepression, noundermatitis, noundiabetes, noundiabetic, adjectivediabetic, noundiagnosis, noundialysis, noundiaper rash, noundiarrhoea, noundiphtheria, noundisability, noundisable, verbdisabled, adjectivedischarge, verbdisease, noundisgorge, verbdislocate, verbdisorder, noundissipated, adjectivedissipation, noundistemper, noundistend, verbdizzy, adjectivedoddering, adjectivedoddery, adjectivedonate, verbdonor, noundouble vision, noundoughy, adjectivedown, adverbDown's syndrome, noundrawn, adjectivedressing, noundrinker, noundrunk, adjectivedrunk, noundrunken, adjectivedull, adjectivedumb, adjectiveDVT, noundysentery, noundyslexia, noundyspepsia, noundyspeptic, adjectiveearache, nouneating disorder, nounEbola, nounectopic pregnancy, nouneczema, nounemaciated, adjectiveemasculate, verbembolism, nounemphysema, nounencephalitis, nounendoscope, nounenervate, verbenteritis, nounepidemic, nounepilepsy, nounepileptic, adjectiveepileptic, nounetiology, nounexcruciating, adjectiveexposure, nouneyeless, adjectiveeye strain, nounfail, verbfaint, nounfester, verbfever, nounfever blister, nounfevered, adjectivefeverish, adjectivefirst aid, nounfit, nounflat feet, nounflat-footed, adjectiveflu, nounfood poisoning, nounfoot and mouth disease, nounfracture, verbfracture, nounfrostbite, noungall, noungammy, adjectiveganglion, noungangrene, noungas, noungash, noungastric, adjectivegastritis, noungastroenteritis, nounGerman measles, nounget, verbgingivitis, nounglandular fever, nounglaucoma, noungnarled, adjectivegonorrhea, noungout, noungrand mal, noungraze, verbgraze, noungriping, adjectivegroggy, adjectivegrowing pains, noungrowth, noungush, verbgynaecology, nounhacking cough, nounhaemophilia, nounhaemophiliac, nounhaemorrhage, nounhaemorrhage, verbhaemorrhoids, nounhalitosis, nounhandicap, nounhandicapped, adjectivehangover, nounhard of hearing, adjectiveharelip, nounhay fever, nounheadache, nounhealth, nounheart attack, nounheartburn, nounheart disease, nounheart failure, nounheat exhaustion, nounheat rash, nounheatstroke, nounheave, verbhepatitis, nounhernia, nounherpes, nounHIV, nounhormone replacement therapy, nounhospital, nounhospitalize, verbhot flush, nounhousebound, adjectiveHRT, nounhump, nounhumpback, nounhunchback, nounhungover, adjectivehydrophobia, nounhypertension, nounhypothermia, nounhysterectomy, nounhysteria, nounhysterical, adjectiveillness, nounimmune, adjectiveimmune system, nounimmunity, nounimmunize, verbimmunology, nounimpacted, adjectiveimpediment, nounimpetigo, nounimpotent, adjectiveincision, nounincontinent, adjectiveincubate, verbincurable, adjectiveindigestion, nounindisposed, adjectiveindisposition, nouninfantile, adjectiveinfantile paralysis, nouninfect, verbinfected, adjectiveinfection, nouninfectious, adjectiveinfirmity, nouninflammation, nouninflammatory, adjectiveinfluenza, nouninfusion, nouningrowing, adjectiveinoculate, verbinoperable, adjectiveinsane, adjectiveinsanity, nouninsomnia, nouninsomniac, nouninstability, nounintensive care, nounintravenous, adjectiveinvalid, nouninvalidity, nouninvasive, adjectiveirregular, adjectiveirritable bowel syndrome, nounirritant, nounirritate, verbirritated, adjectiveirritation, noun-ism, suffixisolation, nounjaundice, nounjaundiced, adjectivejet lag, nounknock-kneed, adjectiveknotted, adjectivelaceration, nounlaryngitis, nounlegionnaire's disease, nounleper, nounleprosy, nounlesion, nounleukemia, nounlisp, nounlisteria, nounliverish, adjectivelockjaw, nounlong-sighted, adjectiveloose, adjectivelozenge, nounlumbago, nounlunacy, nounLyme disease, nounmad cow disease, nounmalady, nounmalaise, nounmalaria, nounmalformation, nounmalignancy, nounmalignant, adjectivemalnourished, adjectivemalnutrition, nounmange, nounmangy, adjectivemania, nounmanic, adjectivemanic depression, nounmastitis, nounME, nounmeasles, nounmedicinal, adjectivemegalomania, nounmegalomaniac, nounmelancholia, nounmelancholic, adjectivemelanoma, nounmend, verbmeningitis, nounmentally handicapped, adjectivemigraine, nounmild, adjectivemiscarriage, nounmole, nounmongol, nounmono, nounmononucleosis, nounmorbid, adjectivemorning sickness, nounmoron, nounmotion sickness, nounmotor neurone disease, nounMRI, nounMRSA, nounMS, nounmultiple sclerosis, nounmumps, nounmurmur, nounmusclebound, adjectivemuscular dystrophy, nounmute, adjectivemute, nounmyopia, nounmyopic, adjectivemyxomatosis, nounnarcolepsy, nounnausea, nounnauseate, verbnauseous, adjectivenearsighted, adjectivenervous breakdown, nounnettle rash, nounneuralgia, nounneurosis, nounneurotic, adjectivenosebleed, nounnotifiable, adjectiveNSU, nounobesity, nounoff-colour, adjectiveoperate, verboperation, nounophthalmic, adjectiveophthalmology, noun-osis, suffixosteoarthritis, nounosteopathy, nounosteoporosis, nounoutpatient, nounoverbite, nounpacemaker, nounpaediatrics, nounpale, adjectivepallid, adjectivepallor, nounpalpitate, verbpalpitations, nounpalsy, nounpandemic, nounparalyse, verbparalysed, adjectiveparalysis, nounparalytic, adjectiveparalytic, nounparanoia, nounparaplegia, nounparaplegic, nounparasitic, adjectiveParkinson's disease, nounparoxysm, nounpasty, adjectivepasty-faced, adjectivepathogen, nounpathological, adjectivepathology, nounpeaked, adjectivepeaky, adjectivepellagra, nounpeptic ulcer, nounperforated, adjectiveperiod pain, nounperitonitis, nounpernicious anaemia, nounpersecution complex, nounpestilence, nounpestilential, adjectivepetit mal, nounpharyngitis, nounphlebitis, nounphlegm, noun-phobic, suffixphysiotherapy, nounpigeon-toed, adjectivepins and needles, nounplacebo, nounplague, nounplaque, nounplaster cast, nounpleurisy, nounPMS, nounPMT, nounpneumonia, nounpockmark, nounpockmarked, adjectivepoisoning, nounpolio, nounpolyp, nounpoor, adjectivepost-traumatic stress disorder, nounpremenstrual tension, nounprescribe, verbprescription, nounpreventive medicine, nounprickle, verbprickly heat, nounprognosis, nounprolapse, nounprophylactic, adjectiveprophylactic, nounprophylaxis, nounpsoriasis, nounpsychopath, nounpsychosis, nounpsychosomatic, adjectivepsychotic, adjectivepuffy, adjectivepull, verbpurulent, adjectivepus, nounpustule, nounqueasy, adjectiverabid, adjectiverabies, nounradiation sickness, nounradiography, nounrash, nounraw, adjectivereact, verbreaction, nounreceive, verbrecuperate, verbrecuperative, adjectiveregurgitate, verbrelapse, verbremission, nounrepetitive strain injury, nounresistance, nounrespond, verbretch, verbRhesus factor, nounrheumatic, adjectiverheumatic fever, nounrheumatism, nounrheumatoid arthritis, nounrickets, nounringworm, nounRSI, nounrubella, nounrun-down, adjectiverunny, adjectiverupture, nounsaddle-sore, adjectivesalmonella, nounscab, nounscabby, adjectivescabies, nounscald, verbscald, nounscaly, adjectivescar, nounscar, verbscarlet fever, nounschizophrenia, nounsciatica, nounsclerosis, nounscrape, verbscrape, nounscratch, nounscurvy, nounseasick, adjectiveseizure, nounself-examination, nounsenile, adjectivesenile dementia, nounsenseless, adjectivesepsis, nounseptic, adjectivesepticaemia, nounserum, nounset, verbsexually transmitted disease, nounshell shock, nounshell-shocked, adjectiveshingles, nounshock, nounshort-sighted, adjectivesickle-cell anaemia, nounsickly, adjectivesickness, nounside effect, nounsightless, adjectivesimple fracture, nounsleeping sickness, nounslipped disc, nounsmallpox, nounsnakebite, nounsnow blindness, nounsore, adjectivesore, nounspastic, adjectivespecial needs, nounspecimen, nounspina bifida, nounsprain, verbsputum, nounsquint, verbsquint, nounstammer, nounstarvation, nounstarve, verbSTD, nounstomachache, nounstone, nounstrain, nounstrain, verbstrangulated, adjectivestrep throat, nounstroke, nounsty, nounsuccumb, verbsufferer, nounsunstroke, nounsuperbug, nounsurgical, adjectiveswelling, nounswollen, adjectivesymptom, nounsymptomatic, adjectivesyndrome, nounsyphilis, nounTB, nountear, verbtetanus, nountherapeutic, adjectivetherapy, nounthrombosis, nounthrush, nountic, nountight, adjectivetingle, verbtinnitus, nountipsy, adjectivetonsillitis, nountoothache, nountorment, nountourniquet, nountoxaemia, nountoxic shock syndrome, nountraction, nountransfusion, nountrauma, nountravel sickness, nountreatment, nountremor, nountuberculosis, nountumour, nountunnel vision, nountwinge, nountwitch, nountyphoid, nountyphus, nounulcer, nounulcerate, verbultrasound, noununderweight, adjectiveundressed, adjectiveunhealthy, adjectiveuntreated, adjectivevaccinate, verbvaccine, nounvaricose veins, nounVD, nounvenereal disease, nounverruca, nounvertigo, nounviral, adjectivevirology, nounvirulent, adjectivevomit, verbvomit, nounwart, nounweak, adjectiveweal, nounweep, verbwheeze, verbwheeze, nounwheezy, adjectivewhiplash, nounwhooping cough, nounwind, nounwithered, adjectivewound, nounwrench, verbwriter's cramp, nounyaws, nounyeast infection, nounyellow fever, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY They’ll either die from the cold or starve to death (=die from lack of food).COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
They’ll either die from the cold or starve to death (=die from lack of food).· Thousands of people are starving to death.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The Lisbon Government tried to avoid bloodshed by starving out the rebels and blockading the island.
NOUN· Local housing authorities have been starved of cash for a number of years by the Government.
· The entire population had starved to death.· A headline, about anorexia nervosa, starving yourself to death.· Perhaps I would run away, or starve myself to death.· It is, of course, less honest than Spencer and denies that anyone will starve to death.· Recalcitrants were chained, starved and beaten to death.· Would you eat that, unless you were starving to death in a concentration camp? 2.· In the midst of plenty, they were slowly starving to death.
· Sealing food in an airtight jar starves the bacteria of oxygen and they are unable to reproduce.· Medical theorists suggest that these experiences are actually hallucinations caused by the brain's mood-controlling limbic system being starved of oxygen.
· On the other hand, we can not stand idly by while people starve in the streets.· This morning, g00 million people awoke starving.· Half our people starving and the other half standing around a roulette wheel.· Of the 800 million people who are starving today, 175 million are children aged under five.· They fear that if the Food Bank goes under, people will starve.
· The combined forces of Rufus and Warenne starved Pevensey into submission.· It proposes to starve the people into submission by depriving them of food and necessities of life....
VERB· We failed to feed a starving people, leaving millions to die or emigrate.
· But the front line runs across Katanga, and the war cut people off from their fields, leaving them to starve.· Instead, the rancher left the horses to starve.· He then went off, leaving his rival to starve to death.· Planting a bomb means saving the children that Madreidetic was leaving to starve.· She says it make her mad that they should be locked away and left to starve.· Perhaps he's going to leave me to starve.· The top breeder who left her sheep to starve.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1[intransitive] to suffer or die because you do not have enough to eat: - I'm starving! When do we eat?
- A water flea that is starving in a crowded pond is the victim not of food shortage but of competition.
- At noon he got up and put Lois's pumpkin on the porch and then realized he was starving.
- People were starving, people were lying on the road.
- She hadn't been able to stomach a great deal at breakfast, not after everything that had happened; now she was starving.
- The world is starving from hunger.
- Up to half of the houses were boarded up in areas that were starving.
- We were starving and reduced by disease.
Thousands of people will starve if food doesn’t reach the city. pictures of starving children They’ll either die from the cold or starve to death (=die from lack of food).2[transitive] to prevent someone from having enough food to live: The poor dog looked like it had been starved.3be starving (also be starved American English) to be very hungry: You must be starving!starve somebody/something of something (also starve somebody/something for something American English) phrasal verb to not give something that is neededbe starved of something The schools are starved of funding.be starved for something The poor kid’s just starved for attention.GRAMMAR Starve of/for is usually passive.starve somebody ↔ out phrasal verb to force someone to leave a place by preventing them from getting food: If we can’t blast them out, we’ll starve them out!