die
1to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead.
(of something inanimate) to cease to exist: The laughter died on his lips.
to lose force, strength, or active qualities: Superstitions die slowly.
to cease to function; stop: The motor died.
to be no longer subject; become indifferent: to die to worldly matters.
to pass gradually; fade or subside gradually (usually followed by away, out, or down): The storm slowly died down.
Theology. to lose spiritual life.
to faint or languish.
to suffer as if fatally: I'm dying of boredom!
to pine with desire, love, longing, etc.: I'm dying to see my home again.
to desire or want keenly or greatly: I'm dying for a cup of coffee.
die away, (of a sound) to become weaker or fainter and then cease: The hoofbeats gradually died away.
die down, to become calm or quiet; subside.
die off, to die one after another until the number is greatly reduced: Her friends are dying off.
die out,
to cease to exist; become extinct: Both lines of the family died out before the turn of the century.
to die away; fade; subside: The roar of the engines died out as the rocket vanished into the clouds.
Idioms about die
die hard,
to die only after a bitter struggle.
to give way or surrender slowly or with difficulty: Childhood beliefs die hard.
die standing up, Theater. (of a performance) to be received with silence rather than applause.
never say die, never give up hope; never abandon one's efforts.
to die for, stunning; remarkable: That dress is to die for.
Origin of die
1synonym study For die
Other words for die
Words that may be confused with die
- die , dye
Words Nearby die
Other definitions for die (2 of 2)
Machinery.
any of various devices for cutting or forming material in a press or a stamping or forging machine.
a hollow device of steel, often composed of several pieces to be fitted into a stock, for cutting the threads of bolts or the like.
one of the separate pieces of such a device.
a steel block or plate with small conical holes through which wire, plastic rods, etc., are drawn.
an engraved stamp for impressing a design upon some softer material, as in coining money.
singular of dice.
Architecture. dado (def. 1).
to impress, shape, or cut with a die.
Origin of die
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use die in a sentence
He was due to begin treatment Monday, the day after he died.
A rare disease, a covid diagnosis, a painful decision: The death of basketball coach Lew Hill | Dave Sheinin | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostSchottenheimer, who died Monday at the age of 77 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, was something of surprise hire to replace Norv Turner before the 2001 season.
Marty Schottenheimer’s legacy can be measured in teams’ regret over letting him go | Leonard Shapiro | February 9, 2021 | Washington PostThe Lakers marked the anniversary of the crash in a low-key way last month, and Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, asked people to focus on the victims’ lives rather than the way they died.
Though it can be frustrating to die frequently in these scenarios, with each death you hone your strategy to get the timing right, making it satisfying in the long run.
‘Little Nightmares II’ made me dread every moment. And I loved it. | Elise Favis | February 9, 2021 | Washington PostThe patient had used up all her time planning her brother’s funeral after he died of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Yves Albarello, MP of Seine-et-Marne, said the gunmen told police they were ready to “die as martyrs.”
Asserting our right to free speech is the only to ensure that 12 people did not die in vain.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive | Ayaan Hirsi Ali | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThough this too is debatable given that 25,000 to 40,000 people a year die of influenza—the vast majority of them unvaccinated.
When You Get the Flu This Winter, You Can Blame Anti-Vaxxers | Kent Sepkowitz | January 1, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThey made it home, after which he did die, she nursing him to the end.
The Real-Life ‘Downton’ Millionairesses Who Changed Britain | Tim Teeman | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt is a multimillion-dollar business in which roughly 15 million fowl die a year.
The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity | William O’Connor | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST"A camp-fire would hardly flash and die out like that, Sarge," he answered thoughtfully.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairBut men, through neglecting the rules of health, pass quickly to old age, and die before reaching that term.
The Mediaeval Mind (Volume II of II) | Henry Osborn TaylorI cannot believe that God would think it necessary to come on earth as a man, and die on the Cross.
God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordWith three or four more wounds, and the words with which he aided her to die, he finished with her.
His symptoms became so serious that often we expected nothing less than that he would die on our hands.
British Dictionary definitions for die (1 of 2)
/ (daɪ) /
(of an organism or its cells, organs, etc) to cease all biological activity permanently: she died of pneumonia
(of something inanimate) to cease to exist; come to an end: the memory of her will never die
(often foll by away, down, or out) to lose strength, power, or energy, esp by degrees
(often foll by away or down) to become calm or quiet; subside: the noise slowly died down
to stop functioning: the engine died
to languish or pine, as with love, longing, etc
(usually foll by of) informal to be nearly overcome (with laughter, boredom, etc)
theol to lack spiritual life within the soul, thus separating it from God and leading to eternal punishment
(tr) to undergo or suffer (a death of a specified kind) (esp in phrases such as die a saintly death)
(foll by to) to become indifferent or apathetic (to): to die to the world
never say die informal never give up
die hard to cease to exist after resistance or a struggle: old habits die hard
die in harness to die while still working or active, prior to retirement
be dying (foll by for or an infinitive) to be eager or desperate (for something or to do something): I'm dying to see the new house
to die for informal highly desirable: a salary to die for
Origin of die
1usage For die
British Dictionary definitions for die (2 of 2)
/ (daɪ) /
a shaped block of metal or other hard material used to cut or form metal in a drop forge, press, or similar device
a tool of metal, silicon carbide, or other hard material with a conical hole through which wires, rods, or tubes are drawn to reduce their diameter
an internally-threaded tool for cutting external threads: Compare tap 2 (def. 6)
a casting mould giving accurate dimensions and a good surface to the object cast: See also die-cast
architect the dado of a pedestal, usually cubic
another name for dice (def. 2)
as straight as a die perfectly honest
the die is cast the decision that commits a person irrevocably to an action has been taken
Origin of die
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with die
In addition to the idioms beginning with die
- die away
- die down
- die for
- die hard
- die in harness
- die is cast, the
- die laughing
- die off
- die out
- die to
- die with one's boots on
also see:
- curl up (and die)
- do or die
- it's to die
- never say die
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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