Definition of 'die'

Word Frequency

die

(daɪ )

Word forms: dies, dying, died

1. transitive verb/intransitive verb [no passive]

When people, animals, and plants die, they stop living.

A year later my dog died.

Sadly, both he and my mother died of cancer.

I would die a very happy person if I could stay in music my whole life.

2. intransitive verb

If a machine or device dies, it stops completely, especially after a period of working more and more slowly or inefficiently.

[written]

Then suddenly, the engine coughed, spluttered, and died.

Synonyms: stop, fail, halt, break down More Synonyms of die

3. intransitive verb [only cont]

You can say that you are dying of thirst, hunger, boredom, or curiosity to emphasize that you are very thirsty, hungry, bored, or curious.

[informal, emphasis]

Order me a soda, I'm dying of thirst.

4. transitive verb/intransitive verb [only cont]

You can say that you are dying for something or are dying to do something to emphasize that you very much want to have it or do it.

[informal, emphasis]

I'm dying for a breath of fresh air.

5. transitive verb/intransitive verb

You can use die in expressions such as 'I almost died' or 'I'd die if anything happened' where you are emphasizing your feelings about a situation, for example, to say that it is very shocking, upsetting, embarrassing, or amusing.

[informal, mainly spoken, emphasis]

I nearly died when I read what she'd written about me.

I nearly died of shame.

I thought I'd die laughing.

6. See also dying

See to die for

See die hard

Phrasal verbs:

See die out

More Synonyms of die

Video: pronunciation of
die

die in American English 1

(daɪ )

verb intransitiveWord forms: died or ˈdying

to stop living; become dead

to suffer the agony of death or an agony regarded as like it

to cease existing; end

to stop functioning

to lose force or activity; become weak, faint, unimportant, etc.

to fade or wither away

to become alien or indifferent (to), as if dead

to pine away, as with desire

8. Informal

to wish with extreme intensity; yearn

she's dying to learn the secret

9. Theology

to suffer spiritual death

Idioms:

SYNONYMY NOTE: die1 is the basic, simple, direct word meaning to stop living or to become dead; , decease, expire, and pass away (see pass2, vi. 7) are all euphemisms, decease being also the legal term, , expire meaning literally to breathe one's last breath, and pass away suggesting a coming to an end; perish implies death by a violent means or under difficult circumstances

Word origin

ME dien < ON deyja < IE base *dheu-, to pass away, become senseless > OS doian, to die, OE dead, OHG tot, dead

Word Frequency

die in American English 2

(daɪ )

nounWord forms: plural dice (daɪs ) or dies (daɪz )

a small, marked cube used in games of chance

die in British English 1

(daɪ )

verbWord forms: dies, dying or died (mainly intr)

(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

3. (often foll by away, down, or out)

to lose strength, power, or energy, esp by degrees

4. (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

7. (usually foll by of) informal

to be nearly overcome (with laughter, boredom, etc)

8. theology

to lack spiritual life within the soul, thus separating it from God and leading to eternal punishment

9. (transitive)

to undergo or suffer (a death of a specified kind) (esp in phrases such as die a saintly death)

10. (foll by to)

to become indifferent or apathetic (to)

to die to the world

11. never say die

12. die hard

13. die in harness

14. be dying

15. to die for

▶ 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

Word origin

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

Word Frequency

die in British English 2

(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 threads

Compare tap2 (sense 6)

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

die in Mechanical Engineering

(daɪ)

Word forms: (regular plural) dies

noun

(Mechanical engineering: Manufacturing and assembly)

A die is a shaped hollow piece into which or through which you force a material in order to produce an object of a particular shape.

A metal rod is forced through a die in order to make the correct shape for the frame.

The metal is placed in a die resembling a mold.

A die is a shaped hollow piece into which or through which you force a material in order to produce an object of a particular shape.

die casting

Examples of 'die' in a sentence
die

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Tarja remembered wanting to slap some sense into her one moment, wanting to die in her arms the next.We sat with our breath quivering like sick men waiting to die.For every virus we've heard of, there are untold millions that die away, disappear.