What does "appetite" mean?

Appetite: Desire for, or relish of, food or drink; hunger. Men must have appetite before they will eat. Buckle.

Additional senses

  1. 2.Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing. It God had given to eagles an appetite to swim. Jer. Taylor. To gratify the vulgar appetite for the marvelous. Macaulay.
  2. 3.Tendency; appetency. [Obs.] In all bodies there as an appetite of union. Bacon.
  3. 4.The thing desired. [Obs.] Power being the natural appetite of princes. Swift. Note: In old authors, appetite is followed by to or of, but regularly it should be followed by for before the object; as, an appetite for pleasure.

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