The Collaborative International Dictionary
Famish \Fam"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Famished; p. pr. & vb. n. Famishing.] [OE. famen; cf. OF. afamer, L. fames. See Famine, and cf. Affamish.]
To starve, kill, or destroy with hunger.
--Shak.-
To exhaust the strength or endurance of, by hunger; to distress with hanger.
And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread.
--Cen. xli. 55.The pains of famished Tantalus he'll feel.
--Dryden. -
To kill, or to cause to suffer extremity, by deprivation or denial of anything necessary.
And famish him of breath, if not of bread.
--Milton. -
To force or constrain by famine.
He had famished Paris into a surrender.
--Burke.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of famish English)
Usage examples of "famishing".
He came from some lurking-place among the rocks and cliffs, and presented a picture of that famishing wretchedness to which these lonely fugitives among the mountains are sometimes reduced.
Being utterly destitute of provisions, they were again compelled to kill one of their horses to appease their famishing hunger.
In this frail bark, Sardepie, one of the Canadians, carried over a portion of the flesh of the horse to the famishing party on the opposite side of the river, and brought back with him Mr.
Crooks was shocked to find that, while the people on this side of the river were amply supplied with provisions, none had been sent to his own forlorn and famishing men on the opposite bank.
Hunt found himself and his band of weary and famishing wanderers thus safely extricated from the most perilous part of their long journey, and within the prospect of a termination of their tolls.
Here the poor famishing wanderers had expected to find buffalo in abundance, and had fed their hungry hopes during their scrambling toll, with the thoughts of roasted ribs, juicy humps, and broiled marrow bones.
But to know each day that the gates would open to admit the same distasteful apologies for food took away the appetite and raised one's gorge, even while famishing for something to eat.
Mere life is a luxury, and the color of the grass, of the flowers, of the sky, the wind in the trees, the outlines of the horizon, the forms of clouds, all give a pleasure as exquisite as the sweetest music to the ear famishing for it.