O.E.
lust "desire, pleasure," from P.Gmc.
*lustuz (cf. O.S., O.Fris., Du., Ger.
lust, O.N.
lyst, Goth.
lustus "pleasure, desire, lust"), from PIE
*las- "to be eager, wanton, or unruly" (cf. L.
lascivus "wanton, playful, lustful;" see
lascivious). In M.E., "any source of pleasure or delight," also "an appetite," also "a liking for a person," also "fertility" (of soil). Sense of "sinful sexual desire, degrading animal passion" (now the main meaning) developed in late O.E. from the word's use in Bible translations. In other Gmc. languages, the cognates of
lust tend to still mean simply "pleasure." The verb is first attested c.1230, "to please, delight;" sense of "to have a strong sexual desire (for or after)" is first attested 1526 in biblical use.
Lusty (c.1225) mostly has escaped the Christianization of the word; the original usage was "joyful, merry," later "full of healthy vigor" (c.1374). The sense of "full of desire" is attested from c.1400.
[luhst] 
