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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Appetite


AP'PETITE, noun [Latin appetitus, from appeto. See Appetence.]

1. The natural desire of pleasure or good; the desire of gratification, either of the body or of the mind. Appetites are passions directed to general objects, as the appetite for fame, glory or riches; in distinction from passions directed to some particular objects, which retain their proper name, as the passion of love, envy or gratitude. Passion does not exist without an object; natural appetites exist first, and are then directed to objects.

2. A desire of food or drink; a painful sensation occasioned by hunger or thirst.

3. Strong desire; eagerness or longing.

4. The thing desired.

Power being the natural appetite of princes.

Appetites are natural or artificial. Hunger and thirst are natural appetites; the appetites for olives, tobacco, snuff, etc. are artificial.

In old authors, appetite is followed by to, but regularly it should be followed by for before the object, as an appetite for pleasure.

To be given to appetite is to be voracious or gluttonous. Proverbs 23:2.