Sc. ‘Earth-hunger’: (a) voracious desire for land (cf. eard-hunger in Scott, Nigel, ix.); (b) see quot. 1825. So Yerd-hungry a. See also YIRD.
1823. Scott, Lett., in Lockhart (1839), VII. 155. About the land, I have no doubt your Lordship is quite right, but I have something of what is called the yeard hunger.
1825. Jamieson, Yerd-hunger.… 1. That keen desire of food, which is sometimes manifested by persons before death…. 2. Voraciousness; the term being used in a general sense. Ibid., Yerd-hungry,… voraciously hungry.
