dire
pronunciation
How to pronounce dire in British English:
UK [ˈdaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce dire in American English:
US [ˈdaɪər]
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- Adjective:
- fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
- causing fear or dread or terror
Word Origin
- dire
- dire: see dinosaur
- dire (adj.)
- 1560s, from Latin dirus "fearful, awful, boding ill," which is of unknown origin; perhaps from Oscan and Umbrian and perhaps cognate with Greek deinos, from PIE root *dwei-.
Example
- 1. Did dire predictions about the gulf ecosystem come true ?
- 2. Even that dire picture may be too optimistic .
- 3. But he warns that the outlook for them is dire .
- 4. The implications are dire indeed .
- 5. But knee-jerk nationalism could have dire consequences .