Starve | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Stărve, v. i.

verbintransitive

[A-S. steorfan, stearfian, to perish with hunger or cold, N. H. Ger. sterben, to die, either by disease or hunger, or by a wound, O. H. Ger. sterban, L. Ger. starven, D. sterven.]

Sense 1. To perish; to be destroyed. [Obs.] Fairfax.

Sense 2. To perish or die with cold. “Starving with cold as well as hunger.” W. Irving.

☞ In this sense, still common in England, but rarely or never used in the United States.

Sense 3. To perish with hunger; to suffer extreme hunger or want; to be very indigent.

Sometimes virtue starves, while vice is fed. Pope.

Sense 4. Hence, to lack; to want.

The pens of historians, writing thereof, seemed starved for matter, in an age so fruitful of memorable actions. Fuller.

Stärve, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. STARVED; p. pr. & vb. n. STARVING.] 1. To destroy with cold. [Eng.] From beds of raging fire, to starve in ice Their soft, ethereal warmth. Milton.

To kill with hunger; as, maliciously to starve a man is, in law, murder.
To distress or subdue by famine; as, to starve a garrison into a surrender.
To destroy by want; as, to starve plants by the want of nutriment.
To deprive of force or vigor.

The powers of their minds are starved by disuse. Locke.

Stērve or Stērv'en, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To starve. [Obs.] Spenser.