thirst
A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (such as fear, excitement, etc.) which stops the secretion of the pharyngeal mucous membrane.
Example
“We developed a great thirst during our hike.”
Other meanings
The condition producing the sensation of thirst.
“If you go out in the desert for long without water, the thirst can drive you mad.”
A want and eager desire (for something); a craving or longing.
“She had a real thirst for news and that greatly helped her career.”
Related words
- athirst
- thirster
- thirstful
- thirstland
- thirstless
- bloodthirst
- thirst-quenching
- thirst snake
- gold thirst
- thirst trap
- thirst-buster
- thirsty
Example sentences
Word history
From Old English "þurst".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “thirst” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; example sentences are from Tatoeba, credited to their authors above, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.