"A Modest Proposal
Some Persons of a desponding Spirit are in great concern about that vast Number of poor
People, who are aged, diseased, or maimed, and I have been desired to imploy my thoughts
what Course may be taken, to ease the Nation of so grievous an Incumbrance. But I am not in
the least pain upon that matter, because it is very well known, that they are every Day dying,
and rotting, by cold, and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected.
("A Modest Proposal").
Read the excerpt then answer the question:
Based upon the context above, the word famine means