Reading Theme:

Language:

Font Size:

📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Thirst: Meaning, Examples, and Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：need to drink (thirst)

thirst 🔊

/θɜːst/

A strong feeling that you need to drink something.

Thirst illustration: person drinking water after exercise

need to drink 🔊

➕

/niːd tuː drɪŋk/

Thirst is a physical sensation that signals your body's need for water or other fluids to maintain hydration.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'þurst', related to 'dry' and Latin 'torrere' (to parch).

💡 Mnemonic

Thirst: The Hurry to Sip - when dry, you hurry to sip.

📖 Example

After playing football for two hours, he felt a thirst and headed straight to the water fountain. 🔊 After playing football for two hours, he felt thirst and went directly to the water fountain.

🔗 Collocations

quench one's thirst – to satisfy thirst by drinking

feel thirsty – to experience the sensation of needing to drink

suffer from thirst – to be in a state of needing water intensely

🔄 Synonyms

dehydration (n.) – a state of lacking water in the body

dryness (n.) – the condition of being dry, especially in the mouth

craving for water (phrase) – an intense desire for water

🚫 Antonyms

hydration (n.) – the process of taking in water

satiation (n.) – the state of being satisfied

🌱 Derivatives

thirst (v.) – to feel thirst

thirsty (adj.) – feeling thirst

thirstily (adv.) – in a thirsty manner

📖 Cultural Story

From Proto-Germanic *þurstiz, associated with dryness. In Middle English, 'thirst' also meant 'drought'. Its metaphorical use for strong desire became common by the 16th century.

Meaning 2：strong desire for something (thirst)

thirst 🔊

/θɜːst/

A very strong desire or eagerness for something.

Thirst for knowledge: student reading books in library

strong desire for something 🔊

➕

/strɒŋ dɪˈzaɪə fɔː ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Thirst can also refer to a powerful, often passionate eagerness or longing for something non-physical, such as knowledge, power, or adventure.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

She had a thirst for knowledge that led her to spend hours in the library every day. 🔊 She had a strong desire for knowledge, which caused her to study in the library for many hours each day.

🔗 Collocations

thirst for knowledge – a strong desire to learn

thirst for power – an intense ambition to gain control

thirst for adventure – eagerness to experience exciting journeys

🔄 Synonyms

craving (n.) – a powerful desire for something

yearning (n.) – a deep longing

hunger (n.) – a strong want (often used metaphorically)

🚫 Antonyms

satisfaction (n.) – the state of being fulfilled

contentment (n.) – a feeling of peace and satisfaction

apathy (n.) – lack of interest or desire

🌱 Derivatives

thirst (v.) – to feel thirst

thirsty (adj.) – feeling thirst (also used metaphorically)

thirstily (adv.) – in a thirsty manner