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British

tire

¹

[ tahyuhr ]

/ taɪər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tire

verb (used with object), tired, tir·ing.

to reduce or exhaust the strength of, as by exertion; make weary; fatigue (often followed by out): The long walk tired him.

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

verb (used without object), tired, tir·ing.

to have the strength reduced or exhausted, as by labor or exertion; become fatigued; be sleepy.

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

British Dialect. fatigue.

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Question 1 of 9

You may have read the word "simmer" in a recipe or two, but what does it really mean?

To cook in water that begins cold and then reaches a boil.

To stew in a sauce for a long time.

To cook in water, just below boiling temperature.

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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

SYNONYMS FOR tire

2 exasperate, irk.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tire

Words nearby tire

tiramisu, Tiran, Tirana, Tiranë, Tiraspol, tire, tire chain, tired, tired out, Tiree, tire iron

Definition for tire (2 of 3)

tire²

[ tahyuhr ]

/ taɪər /

noun

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.

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.

to furnish with tires.

Also British, tyre .

Origin of tire

²

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

Definition for tire (3 of 3)

tire³

[ tahyuhr ]

/ taɪər /

verb (used with object), tired, tir·ing.

Archaic. to dress (the head or hair), especially with a headdress.

Obsolete. to attire or array.

noun

Archaic. a headdress.

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. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for tire

Options include bigger tires, heated seats, Bose audio and more.
Snazzy sedans and comfort rides|Joe Phillips|September 19, 2020|Washington Blade
Six and half years had passed since the day she had crawled into the tire in the school yard and cried.
Her Stepfather Admitted to Sexually Abusing Her. That Wasn’t Enough to Keep Her Safe.|by Nadia Sussman|September 18, 2020|ProPublica
Aftermarket tiresStock tires are probably the single biggest power-robbing items on your new ATV.
Six ways to make your ATV even more rugged|By Tyler Freel/Outdoor Life|September 17, 2020|Popular Science
The debt-ridden telecom giant is reportedly looking to offload its DirecTV pay-TV business after having kicked the tires on selling it a year ago.
As AT&T considers downsizing its media business, whither WarnerMedia?|Tim Peterson|September 2, 2020|Digiday

That’s not to say we don’t kick the tires on a few things at the end, but it’s pretty minimal, and it’s mostly to look at bugs and edge cases rather than to change our underlying assumptions.
Our Election Forecast Didn’t Say What I Thought It Would|Nate Silver (nrsilver@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Who knew explaining how to change a tire and back out of a ditch could be so seductive?
The Golden West Up for Grabs: ‘Painted Horses’ Is the Next Great Western Novel|Wendy Smith|November 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two U.S. entities, along with the RDIF, last year acquired a majority interest in a leading Russian tire maker, Voltyre-Prom.
Exclusive: Did This Manhattan Firm Help Shield a Russian Fund From Sanctions?|Bill Conroy|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Eventually, even the most enthusiastic diner will tire of going to his restaurant.
Cornel West’s Disappointing Decline|David Masciotra|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And she memorably threatens her boys with a tire iron when they aim to strike out on their own.
Is There a Ma Joad for the Piketty Era?|Katie Baker|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He congratulated me on having lived for a week bareheaded in East Texas without getting beaten with a tire iron.
‘The Land of the Permanent Wave’ Is Bud Shrake’s Classic Take on ‘60s Texas|Edwin Shrake|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The mind is apt to tire and needs rousing continually, otherwise the work will lack the impulse that shall make it vital.
The Practice and Science Of Drawing|Harold Speed
The wheel did not seem to be injured, but still I could not travel without a tire.
A Bicycle of Cathay|Frank R. Stockton
Continued down the river—stopped and set the tire for our wagon.
Journal of a Trip to California by the Overland Route Across the Plains in 1850-51|E. S. (Eleazer Stillman) Ingalls
Would it tire you very much to write it for me in the flyleaf of this Prayer-Book that Mr. Charnock has given me?
The Three Brides|Charlotte M. Yonge
Hypatia's voice was flute-like, and used always well within its compass, so as never to rasp or tire the organs.
Little Journeys To The Homes Of Great Teachers|Elbert Hubbard

British Dictionary definitions for tire (1 of 3)

tire¹

/ (ˈtaɪə) /

verb

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

(tr; often passive) to reduce the tolerance of; bore or irritateI'm tired of the children's chatter

(intr) to become wearied or bored; flag

Derived forms of tire

tiring, adjective

Word Origin for tire

Old English tēorian, of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for tire (2 of 3)

tire²

/ (ˈtaɪə) /

noun, verb

the US spelling of tyre

British Dictionary definitions for tire (3 of 3)

tire³

/ (ˈtaɪə) /

verb, noun

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

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