Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

Find a word or form any language English German Search

starveling en · ADJ

Etymology

From starve + -ling.

Meanings

1. Starving; suffering from starvation.
   • As for the starveling rebels of our region, they soon began to reappear in town, more starved and abject, their blackened rags hanging on them[…] 1979, V. S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River:
2. Meagre; scanty.
   • [A] few meetings in the cape-broom, a starveling allowance of kisses in a very ill-advised publicity. 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 128:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
most starveling	Degree=Sup		lexicographic
more starveling	Degree=Cmp		lexicographic

starveling en · NOUN

Etymology

From starve + -ling.

Meanings

1. One who is thin from lack of food.
   • If I hang, I'll make a fat pair of gallows; for if I hang, old Sir John hangs with me, and thou knowest he is no starveling. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
   • The lean, drawn starvelings in their dream-stupefied state were jealous of my well filled out, prosperous form. 1924 July 14 [1923 August 14], Samuel Badisch Ornitz, “Fifth Period”, in Haunch Paunch and Jowl, eighth printing, New York, N.Y.: Boni and Liveright, section III, page 218:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
starvelings	Number=Plur		lexicographic