hanker

Definition

To crave, want or desire.

Etymology

With a secondary frequentative suffix -er, ultimately pointing to Proto-Germanic *hankōną, an iterative to *hanhaną (“to hang”). Related to Dutch hunkeren (“to crave”), which continues the zero-grade iterative.

Example Sentences

• "If you hanker for chocolate, you'll like this fudge recipe."
• "“O ’tis true enough, faith. I cannot understand Farmer Boldwood being such a fool at his time of life as to ho and hanker after thik^([sic]) woman in the way ’a do, and she not care a bit about en.”"
• "“Baked, they were tough; and even boiled, they warn’t things for a hungry man to hanker after.”"