From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthirst for/after something phrasal verb literaryWANTto want something very much young men thirsting for adventure → thirst→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
thirst for/after • Tampa Bay plays stout defense... the Bucs thirsted for a victory.• I think I had the average child's thirst for blood and a more than average thirst for romance.• The thirst for exclusivity and recognition often is misguided, as it is in this instance.• The local press are doing their best to satisfy the thirst for facts on the tournament and teams.• That led to a breakup with his sweetheart, who could not understand what he candidly admitted was a thirst for glory.• With the academic thirst for knowledge goes the academic's well-publicized thirst for alcoholic refreshment.• My thirst for knowledge had been slaked, surpassed by a hunger for cash.• Kabir said he brought with him the thirst for the infinite. 