hungary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “hungary” mean?
feeling a need or desire to eat food.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
feeling a need or desire to eat food
having a strong desire or craving for something
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic differences. Minor usage preferences exist in idioms like 'hungry as a horse' (common US) vs. 'hungry as a hunter' (UK, now less common).
Connotations
Similar neutral to slightly negative connotations in both dialects when describing greed or excessive ambition ('money-hungry').
Frequency
Equal high frequency in both varieties. The metaphorical use ('hungry for success') is slightly more prevalent in American business/political discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “hungary” in a Sentence
[SBJ] be hungry[SBJ] be hungry for [OBJ][SBJ] feel hungry[SBJ] go hungry[MOD] hungry [SBJ] (e.g., a hungry lion)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hungary” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – 'hungry' is not a verb.
American English
- N/A – 'hungry' is not a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – Standard English lacks an adverb 'hungrily'. (She ate hungrily).
American English
- N/A – Standard English lacks an adverb 'hungrily'. (He looked at the cake hungrily).
adjective
British English
- I'm absolutely ravenous; I haven't eaten since breakfast.
- The footballer had a hungry look in his eyes, desperate to score.
- It's hungry work, digging the garden.
American English
- The kids are always hungry right after school.
- She's a hungry young lawyer, aiming for partner.
- The team came out hungry for a win after last week's loss.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical use is common: 'hungry for market share', 'a hungry startup', 'hungry investors'.
Academic
Used literally in biological/psychological studies. Metaphorically in humanities: 'a mind hungry for novelty'.
Everyday
Predominant literal use: 'I'm hungry', 'Are you hungry?', 'The kids are hungry'.
Technical
Rare in pure technical contexts. May appear in nutritional science or economics ('food-insecure' is now more technical).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hungary”
- Using 'hungry' as a noun (*I feel a hungry).
- Overusing 'starving' for mild hunger.
- Incorrect preposition: *'hungry of success' instead of 'hungry for success'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hungry' is the standard, neutral term. 'Starving' is more intense and informal, but can be hyperbolic. 'Famished' is also intense but more formal/literary. 'Starving' literally means dying from lack of food, so its casual use is figurative.
No. The correct construction is subject + be/feel + hungry (e.g., I am hungry, I feel hungry). 'Have hunger' is not idiomatic in modern English.
The preposition 'for' is used: hungry for success, hungry for love, hungry for change.
Yes, but they are used differently. 'Hunger' is the noun for the general state or feeling (a feeling of hunger, world hunger). 'Hungry' is the adjective describing a person or entity experiencing that state.
feeling a need or desire to eat food.
Hungary is usually neutral in register.
Hungary: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhʌŋ.ɡri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhʌŋ.ɡri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hungry as a wolf/bear/horse”
- “go hungry”
- “hungry for attention”
- “power-hungry”
- “hungry work”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HUNGRY HUNgarian who hasn't eaten all day – his stomach GRumbles (from the 'gr' in hungry).
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS HUNGER (e.g., hungry for love, hungry for success, hungry eyes).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'hungry' is metaphorical?