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# famine

noun (a famine, famines; famine — uncountable)

«famine» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A time when a large number of people in a place do not have enough food, often for months, and many may become ill or die. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#m1)

### In the lessons

In history lessons pupils learn about famines such as the Great Famine in Ireland, caused when the potato crop failed; in geography famine follows drought, war or crop failure; charities send help. Phrases: «famine relief», «suffer from famine», «a time of famine».

### Examples

- The potato famine in Ireland forced many people to leave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x1)
- Drought led to famine in the region. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x2)
- Charities sent food during the famine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x3)
- People ate grass in the worst days of the famine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x4)
- War can cause famine when farmers cannot plant crops. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x5)
- The story is about a family that survived a famine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x6)
- A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/#x7)

### Note

Countable and uncountable. Not the same as «hunger» (the feeling of wanting food) — a famine is a huge, long food shortage for a whole area. Opposite in feeling: feast, plenty.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Famines in Genesis drive Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's sons to Egypt. Tradition sees them as part of God's plan leading to Israel's time in Egypt. In the primary lessons: In history lessons pupils learn about famines such as the Great Famine in Ireland, caused when the potato crop failed; in geography famine follows drought, war or crop failure; charities send help. Phrases: «famine relief», «suffer from famine», «a time of famine».

### Examples

- And the famine was sore in the land. (Torah GEN.43.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x1)
- And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. (Torah GEN.26.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x2)
- And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was sore in all the earth. (Torah GEN.41.57, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x3)
- And the famine was sore in Samaria. (Prophets 1KI.18.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x4)
- To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (Writings PSA.33.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x5)
- Our skin is hot like an oven because of the burning heat of famine. (Writings LAM.5.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/#x6)

### Note

Countable and uncountable. Not the same as «hunger» (the feeling of wanting food) — a famine is a huge, long food shortage for a whole area. Opposite in feeling: feast, plenty.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «famine» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/famine/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«famine» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/famine.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «famine» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/famine/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«famine» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/famine.html) on Mova free.