expire
pronunciation
How to pronounce expire in British English:
UK [ɪkˈspaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce expire in American English:
US [ɪkˈspaɪər]
-
- Verb:
- lose validity
- pass from physical life and lose all all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
- expel air
Word Origin
- expire
- expire: see spirit
- expire (v.)
- c. 1400, "to die," from Old French expirer "expire, elapse" (12c.), from Latin expirare/exspirare "breathe out, blow out, exhale; breathe one's last, die," hence, figuratively, "expire, come to an end, cease," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit (n.)). "Die" is the older sense in English; that of "breathe out" is first attested 1580s. Of laws, patents, treaties, etc., mid-15c. In 17c. also transitive. Related: Expired; expiring.
Example
- 1. Both will expire at the end of the year .
- 2. If the bush tax cuts expire completely , that advantage would disappear .
- 3. The decision came less than three hours before the mandate was to expire .
- 4. Some firms have decided not to sign up , even though that means they will probably lose their concessions when they expire .
- 5. Those tax cuts expire at year 's end .