English Dictionary
Definition of “dire”
dire (daɪə
)
Definitions
adjective (usually prenominal)
- Also direfuldisastrous; fearful
- desperate; urgent ⇒
a dire need
- foreboding disaster; ominous ⇒
a dire warning
Alternative Forms
ˈdirely adverb ˈdireness noun Word Origin
C16: from Latin dīrus ominous, fearful; related to Greek deos fear
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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desperate,
pressing,
crying,
critical,
terrible,
crucial,
alarming,
extreme,
awful,
appalling,
urgent,
cruel,
horrible,
disastrous,
grim,
dreadful,
gloomy,
fearful,
dismal,
drastic,
catastrophic,
ominous,
horrid,
woeful,
ruinous,
calamitous,
cataclysmic,
portentous,
godawful,
exigent,
bodeful
Usage examples
An hour after the departure from the deck of The Samarkand the boat was in dire trouble.
Clive Barker, GALILEE (2001)But as a Palestinian official points out,'If it's built, the consequences will be dire '.
Spiked (2002)Social housing provides some safety for thousands of families, but there is a dire shortage of units.
Globe and Mail (2003)The British have always given generously to help those in dire need.
Glasgow Herald (2001)In any situation, no matter how dire , he somehow manages to remain in control.
Paul Martin, MAKING HAPPY PEOPLE (2005)
