appetite

get up an appetite

Fig. to do something to make one very hungry. (Usually in this order.) He can't seem to get up an appetite these days. Whenever I jog, I really get up an appetite.

See also: get, up

have an appetite for something 

1. Lit. to have a desire to eat something in particular. I have an appetite for a nice big steak.

2. Fig. to have a desire to have, see, hear, etc., something. Bobby has a big appetite for sports and activity. Bob has no appetite for violence on television.

See also: have

lose one's appetite

to lose one's desire to eat. After that gory movie, I'm afraid I've lost my appetite.

See also: lose

whet someone's appetite

Fig. to cause someone to be interested in something and to be eager to have, know, learn, etc., more about it. Seeing that film really whetted my sister's appetite for horror films. She now sees as many as possible. My appetite for theater was whetted when I was very young.

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whet somebody's appetite

if an experience whets someone's appetite for something, it makes them want more of it That first flying lesson whetted her appetite. (often + for ) I did a short course last year, and it's whetted my appetite for study.

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whet somebody's appetite

to cause you to want more of something Her work on this show has whetted her appetite to do theatrical sets for other shows. Predictions of defeat only seemed to whet his appetite for battle.