Green’s Dictionary of Slang

hunger n.

SE in slang uses

In compounds

hunger street (n.) (also hunger lane)

(US) the poor area of a town.

1927		‘Jargon of the Und.’ in DN V 451: Hunger lane, Any railway which goes through a barren, inhospitible or poverty-stricken country.
1966–70		in DARE.
1996		Roy Zimmerman ‘Christmas is Pain’ 🎵 And the hungry are hungering on Hunger Street / While the people on Plenty Street . . . eat.

In phrases

from hunger (adj.) [note strictly from hunger under strictly adv.]

(US) second-rate.

1938		H.M. Anderson Strip Tease 43: A straight man, when he’s no good, is ‘from hunger’...he starves the comic to death.
c.1943		‘Bill O. Lading’ You Chirped a Chinful!! n.p.: From Hunger: Below standard. Screwy.
1944		A. Kapelner Lonely Boy Blues 156: He’s from hunger! Marie’s marrying a Jew!
1957		M.S. Kaufman Remember Me to God 97: ‘She’s from hunger,’ Richard said. He was leaning sideways in a corner of the booth, frowning.
1976		P. Zindel Pardon Me, You’re Stepping on my Eyeball! 113: ‘He’s from hunger.’ ‘Edna, I don’t care if he’s on cloud ninety-four. He’s the first boy that’s asked you out in your life.’.
1981		T. Cohan Canary 268: She’s from hunger. No more money for Grossman. He’s an asshole who lucked into something he doesn’t understand.
2000		M. Chabon Kavalier and Clay 549: ‘It’s only going to be one of those serials,’ Bacon said. ‘Parnassus. They’re from hunger.’.
2008		J. DeShell Trouble with Being Born 32: ‘Thedre’s Maria Piserchio. She’s got nice pins.’ ‘She’s from hunger. A bunch of calico.’.