tire

1
[ tahyuhr ]
See synonyms for: tiretiredtiring on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),tired, tir·ing.
  1. to reduce or exhaust the strength of, as by exertion; make weary; fatigue (often followed by out): The long walk tired him.

  2. to exhaust the interest, patience, etc., of; make weary; bore: Your stories tire me.

verb (used without object),tired, tir·ing.
  1. to have the strength reduced or exhausted, as by labor or exertion; become fatigued; be sleepy.

  2. to have one's appreciation, interest, patience, etc., exhausted; become or be weary; become bored (usually followed by of): He soon tired of playing billiards.

noun
  1. British Dialect. fatigue.

Origin of tire

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English tire(n), teoren “to diminish, weaken,” Old English tȳrian, tēorian “to faint, cause to faint”; further etymology uncertain

Other words for tire

Words Nearby tire

Other definitions for tire (2 of 3)

tire2
[ tahyuhr ]

noun
  1. a ring or band of rubber, either solid or hollow and inflated, or of metal, placed over the rim of a wheel to provide traction, resistance to wear, or other desirable properties.

  2. a metal band attached to the outside of the felloes and forming the tread of a wagon wheel.

verb (used with object),tired, tir·ing.
  1. to furnish with tires.

Origin of tire

2
First recorded in 1475–85; special use of tire3 (in the sense “dress, attire, accouterment (for a wheel”)
  • Also British, tyre .

Other definitions for tire (3 of 3)

tire3
[ tahyuhr ]

verb (used with object),tired, tir·ing.
  1. Archaic. to dress (the head or hair), especially with a headdress.

  2. Obsolete. to attire or array.

noun
  1. Archaic. a headdress.

  2. Obsolete. attire or dress.

Origin of tire

3
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tire(n), teren “to clothe, dress, equip (a knight) for battle”; shortening of attire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tire (1 of 3)

tire1

/ (ˈtaɪə) /


verb
  1. (tr) to reduce the energy of, esp by exertion; weary

  2. (tr; often passive) to reduce the tolerance of; bore or irritate: I'm tired of the children's chatter

  1. (intr) to become wearied or bored; flag

Origin of tire

1
Old English tēorian, of unknown origin

Derived forms of tire

  • tiring, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for tire (2 of 3)

tire2

/ (ˈtaɪə) /


noun, verb
  1. the US spelling of tyre

British Dictionary definitions for tire (3 of 3)

tire3

/ (ˈtaɪə) /


verb, noun
  1. an archaic word for attire

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