Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Famish \Fam"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Famished}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Famishing}.] [OE. famen; cf. OF. afamer, L. fames. See
   {Famine}, and cf. {Affamish}.]
   1. To starve, kill, or destroy with hunger. --Shak.

   2. To exhaust the strength or endurance of, by hunger; to
      distress with hanger.

            And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the
            people cried to Pharaoh for bread.    --Cen. xli.
                                                  55.

            The pains of famished Tantalus he'll feel. --Dryden.

   3. To kill, or to cause to suffer extremity, by deprivation
      or denial of anything necessary.

            And famish him of breath, if not of bread. --Milton.

   4. To force or constrain by famine.

            He had famished Paris into a surrender. --Burke.

Famish \Fam"ish\, v. i.
   1. To die of hunger; to starve.

   2. To suffer extreme hunger or thirst, so as to be exhausted
      in strength, or to come near to perish.

            You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?
                                                  --Shak.

   3. To suffer extremity from deprivation of anything essential
      or necessary.

            The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous
            to famish.                            --Prov. x. 3.

Famish \Fam"ish\, a.
   Smoky; hot; choleric.

Source : WordNet®

famish
     v 1: be hungry; go without food; "Let's eat--I'm starving!" [syn:
           {starve}, {hunger}] [ant: {be full}]
     2: deprive of food; "They starved the prisoners" [syn: {starve}]
        [ant: {feed}]
     3: die of food deprivation; "The political prisoners starved to
        death"; "Many famished in the countryside during the
        drought" [syn: {starve}]