hanker

long, yearn, hanker, pine, hunger, thirst mean to have a strong desire for something. long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain <longed for some rest>. yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing <yearned for a stage career>. hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire <always hankering for money>. pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible <pined for a lost love>. hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need <hungered for a business of his own> <thirsted for power>.