crave

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kɹeɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #13475

Meanings

1

verb
To have a very strong desire for something.

I was craving a bacon cheeseburger after our night out.
2

verb
To ask for something earnestly, especially from someone in authority.

I humbly crave your indulgence to read this letter to the end.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to have a very strong... long foryearn for

Word family

Forms cravedcraves

Derived forms becravecraveablecravercravingcravinglycravingnessuncraving

Etymology

From Middle English craven, from Old English crafian (“to crave, ask, implore, demand, summon”), from Proto-West Germanic *krafōn, from Proto-Germanic *krafjaną (“to demand”). Cognate with Danish kræve (“to demand, require”), Swedish kräva (“to crave, demand”), Icelandic krefja (“to demand”), Norwegian kreve (“to demand”).

craven Middle English crafian Old English *krafōn Proto-West Germanic *krafjaną Proto-Germanic

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External links

# crave

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kɹeɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 13475

## Meanings
1. To have a very strong desire for something.
2. To ask for something earnestly, especially from someone in authority.

## Examples
- I was craving a bacon cheeseburger after our night out.
- I humbly crave your indulgence to read this letter to the end.

## Derived Forms
- becrave
- craveable
- craver
- craving
- cravingly
- cravingness
- uncraving

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: craven
- Root: crafian
- Root: *krafōn
- Root: *krafjaną

## Etymology
From Middle English craven, from Old English crafian (“to crave, ask, implore, demand, summon”), from Proto-West Germanic *krafōn, from Proto-Germanic *krafjaną (“to demand”). Cognate with Danish kræve (“to demand, require”), Swedish kräva (“to crave, demand”), Icelandic krefja (“to demand”), Norwegian kreve (“to demand”).

## AI Etymology
Crave is from Middle English craven, from Old English crafian (“to crave, ask, implore, demand, summon”), from Proto-West Germanic *krafōn, from Proto-Germanic *krafjaną (“to demand”). Cognate with Danish kræve (“to demand, require”), Swedish kräva (“to crave, demand”), Icelandic krefja (“to demand”), Norwegian kreve (“to demand”). In present-day use, it can mean to have a very strong desire for something, or to ask for something earnestly, especially from someone in authority. Derived formations include becrave, craveable, craver, craving, cravingly.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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crave

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