die

[ dahy ]

/ daɪ /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR die ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), died, dy·ing.

to 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.

Verb Phrases

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.

Nearby words

didymitis, didymium, didymous, didymus, didynamous, die, die away, die cast, die casting, die down, die for

Idioms

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

1150–1200; Middle English dien, deien < Old Norse deyja. Cf. dead, death

SYNONYMS FOR die

1 expire, depart.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR die ON THESAURUS.COM

Can be confused

die dye

Synonym study

1. Die, pass away ( pass on; pass ), perish mean to relinquish life. To die is to become dead from any cause and in any circumstances. It is the simplest, plainest, and most direct word for this idea, and is used figuratively of anything that has once displayed activity: An echo, flame, storm, rumor dies. Pass away (or pass on or pass ) is a commonly used euphemism implying a continuation of life after death: Grandfather passed away ( passed on or passed ). Perish, a more literary term, implies death under harsh circumstances such as hunger, cold, neglect, etc.; figuratively, perish connotes utter extinction: Hardship caused many pioneers to perish. Ancient Egyptian civilization has perished.

Definition for die (2 of 3)

die

[ dahy ]

/ daɪ /

noun, plural dies for 1, 2, 4, dice for 3.

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).

verb (used with object), died, die·ing.

to impress, shape, or cut with a die.

Origin of die

1300–50; Middle English de (in early Modern English taking the vowel of the plural form dice) < Old French de(i), presumbly < Latin datum given (neuter past participle of dare to give), perhaps in the derivative sense “put, placed,” hence “played, cast”

Definition for die (3 of 3)

dice

[ dahys ]

/ daɪs /

plural noun, singular die.

small cubes of plastic, ivory, bone, or wood, marked on each side with one to six spots, usually used in pairs in games of chance or in gambling.

poker dice.

any of various games, especially gambling games, played by shaking and throwing from two to six dice or poker dice onto a flat surface.Compare craps.

any small cubes.

Auto Racing. a jockeying for lead position between two or more drivers in which tactics are used to pass or keep from being passed.

verb (used with object), diced, dic·ing.

to cut into small cubes.

to decorate with cubelike figures.

to lose by gambling with dice (often followed by away).

verb (used without object), diced, dic·ing.

to play at dice.

to cause or bring about by gambling with dice.

Auto Racing. to duel with another car or cars in a dice.

Origin of dice

1300–50; Middle English dees, dis, dyce (singular and plural), dyces (plural) < Old French de(i)z, dés (plural); see die²

Related forms

dic·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for die

Yves Albarello, MP of Seine-et-Marne, said the gunmen told police they were ready to “die as martyrs.”
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Though 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|DAILY BEAST
They 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|DAILY BEAST

In the 1980s, your community allowed hundreds of thousands of us to die because you believed AIDS was divine punishment.
Do LGBTs Owe Christians an Olive Branch? Try The Other Way Around|Jay Michaelson|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I think, said Nero, savagely, that swans sing sweetest before they die.
Darkness and Dawn|Frederic W. Farrar
Did he die there because he was mortal and we leave Rivesaltes.
Geography and Plays|Gertrude Stein
No one saved her, but many did rush to the fore, and die for her.
Catholic World, Vol. XIII, April to September, 1871|Various
If they are by a great effort carried through the first year, it is only to die in the next.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson
Still it was better to die struggling than to sit down and fold their hands.
The Greater Republic|Charles Morris

British Dictionary definitions for die (1 of 3)

die

/ (daɪ) /

verb dies, dying or died (mainly intr)

(of an organism or its cells, organs, etc) to cease all biological activity permanentlyshe died of pneumonia

(of something inanimate) to cease to exist; come to an endthe 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; subsidethe noise slowly died down

to stop functioningthe 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 struggleold 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 desirablea salary to die for

Word Origin for die

Old English dīegan, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse deyja, Old High German touwen

usage

It was formerly considered incorrect to use the preposition from after die, but of and from are now both acceptable: he died of/from his injuries

British Dictionary definitions for die (2 of 3)

die

/ (daɪ) /

noun

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 threadsCompare tap 2 (def. 6)

a casting mould giving accurate dimensions and a good surface to the object castSee 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

Word Origin for die

C13 dee, from Old French de, perhaps from Vulgar Latin datum (unattested) a piece in games, noun use of past participle of Latin dare to play

British Dictionary definitions for die (3 of 3)

dice

/ (daɪs) /

pl n

cubes of wood, plastic, etc, each of whose sides has a different number of spots (1 to 6), used in games of chance and in gambling to give random numbers

Also called: die (functioning as singular) one of these cubes

small cubes as of vegetables, chopped meat, etc

no dice slang, mainly US and Canadian an expression of refusal or rejection

verb

to cut (food, etc) into small cubes

(intr) to gamble with or play at a game involving dice

(intr) to take a chance or risk (esp in the phrase dice with death)

(tr) Australian informal to abandon or reject

(tr) to decorate or mark with dicelike shapes

Derived Forms

dicer, noun

Word Origin for dice

C14: plural of die ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for die

die

[ dī ]

v.

To cease living; become dead; expire.

To cease existing, especially by degrees; fade.

Idioms and Phrases with die (1 of 2)

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

Idioms and Phrases with die (2 of 2)

dice

see load the dice; no deal (dice).