hanker

/ˈhæŋkə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhæŋkər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhaŋ-kər/ (ame, mw)

hanker — verb

  • hankerpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • hankershe / she / it
  • hankeredpast simple
  • hankering-ing form

1. to keep feeling a strong wish for something, especially something familiar, comf

1.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to keep feeling a strong wish for something, especially something familiar, comforting, or hard to get.

例句

Ishaan has hankered for a quiet house by the sea since college.

hanker for + noun over a long time

Maeve still hankers after the peach cakes her aunt sold at summer fairs.

hanker after + noun, often nostalgic

同義詞
  • crave

    stronger and more urgent; often used for physical needs such as food or sleep

  • long for

    more common and broader; works for both everyday and emotional wishes

  • yearn for

    more literary and sadder; often suggests emotional distance or loss

文法句型

hanker for + noun

hanker after + noun

hanker to + verb

用法筆記

Usually followed by 'for' or 'after' plus a noun; 'to' plus a base verb is possible but less common. The verb often suggests a quiet, long-lasting wish and sounds somewhat old-fashioned in present-day conversation.

常見錯誤

❌I hanker a bigger kitchen.
✅I hanker for a bigger kitchen.
💡the verb is intransitive and normally needs 'for' or 'after'.
❌She hankered after to go home.
✅She hankered to go home.
💡use 'to' directly before a verb, not 'after to'.