thirstily

thirstily — adverb

1. showing strong need or desire for a drink, especially water, and drinking eagerl

1.adverbB1
Definition

showing strong need or desire for a drink, especially water, and drinking eagerly when the chance comes

Example

After running five miles under the hot sun, Indra drank thirstily from the water bottle.

collocation: drink thirstily

The stray cat lapped thirstily at the bowl of fresh milk on the back steps.

verb + thirstily: lap / drink / gulp

Common collocations
  • drink thirstily
  • lap thirstily
  • gulp thirstily
Synonyms
  • eagerly

    broader — can apply to any strong desire, not just drinking

  • greedily

    more negative connotation, suggests taking more than needed

  • hungrily

    used metaphorically for non-food desires; less precise for literal thirst

Usage Note

Typically used with verbs of drinking or taking in liquid — drink, lap, gulp, swallow. Less common with figurative objects (e.g. 'read thirstily'), which is accepted in some dictionaries but rare in everyday use.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Thirstily is specific to the need for drink — you cannot use it for non-liquid desires. Eagerly is the broadest of the group, covering any keen anticipation or enthusiasm, from opening a gift to starting a new job. Greedily carries a negative judgment: it suggests taking more than one's share or acting selfishly, whereas thirstily is neutral and simply describes a physical need. Hungrily, like thirstily, is tied to a bodily drive (hunger), but it is far more common in figurative uses (hungrily read, hungrily watch) than thirstily is. In everyday speech, thirstily appears mostly with drink, gulp, lap, and swallow.

thirstily ↗eagerly ↗greedily ↗hungrily ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • drink thirstily
  • lap thirstily
  • gulp thirstily
  • swallow thirstily

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in English from the noun thirst (Old English þurst, meaning a dry, uncomfortable feeling from needing to drink) plus the adjective suffix -y and the adverb suffix -ly. The literal sense 'in a thirsty manner' has been in use since the 1500s.