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die hard - 4 dictionary results
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die-hard

  [dahy-hahrd]
Use die hard in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.
–adjective
2. resisting vigorously and stubbornly to the last; stubborn.
Also, diehard.

Origin:
1835–45; n., adj. use of v. phrase die hard

Related forms:
die-hardism, noun

die

1  [dahy]
–verb (used without object), died, dy⋅ing.
1. to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead.
2. (of something inanimate) to cease to exist: The laughter died on his lips.
3. to lose force, strength, or active qualities: Superstitions die slowly.
4. to cease to function; stop: The motor died.
5. to be no longer subject; become indifferent: to die to worldly matters.
6. to pass gradually; fade or subside gradually (usually fol. by away, out, or down): The storm slowly died down.
7. Theology. to lose spiritual life.
8. to faint or languish.
9. to suffer as if fatally: I'm dying of boredom!
10. to pine with desire, love, longing, etc.: I'm dying to see my home again.
11. to desire or want keenly or greatly: I'm dying for a cup of coffee.
—Verb phrases
12. die away, (of a sound) to become weaker or fainter and then cease: The hoofbeats gradually died away.
13. die down, to become calm or quiet; subside.
14. die off, to die one after another until the number is greatly reduced: Her friends are dying off.
15. die out,
a. to cease to exist; become extinct: Both lines of the family died out before the turn of the century.
b. to die away; fade; subside: The roar of the engines died out as the rocket vanished into the clouds.
—Idioms
16. die hard,
a. to die only after a bitter struggle.
b. to give way or surrender slowly or with difficulty: Childhood beliefs die hard.
17. die standing up, Theater. (of a performance) to be received with silence rather than applause.
18. never say die, never give up hope; never abandon one's efforts.
19. to die for, stunning; remarkable: That dress is to die for.
Origin:
1150–1200; ME dien, deien < ON deyja. Cf. dead, death

Synonyms:
1. expire, depart. Die, pass away (pass on), perish mean to relinquish life. To die is to become dead from any cause and in any circumstances. It is the simplest, plainest, and most direct word for this idea, and is used figuratively of anything that has once displayed activity: An echo, flame, storm, rumor dies. Pass away (or pass on) is a commonly used euphemism implying a con-tinuation of life after death: Grandfather passed away (passed on). Perish, a more literary term, implies death under harsh circumstances such as hunger, cold, neglect, etc.; figuratively, perish connotes utter extinction: Hardship caused many pioneers to perish. Ancient Egyptian civilization has perished.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To die hard
die 1   (dī)   
intr.v.   died, dy·ing (dī'ĭng), dies
  1. To cease living; become dead; expire.
  2. To cease existing, especially by degrees; fade: The sunlight died in the west.
  3. To experience an agony or suffering suggestive of that of death: nearly died of embarrassment.
  4. Informal To desire something greatly: I am dying for a box of chocolates. She was dying to see the exhibit.
    1. To cease operation; stop: If your vehicle dies, stay with it.
    2. To be destroyed, as in combat: could see the remains of two aircraft that had died in the attack.
  6. To become indifferent: had died to all worldly concerns.
Phrasal Verb(s):
die back Botany To be affected by dieback.
die downTo lose strength; subside: The winds died down.
die offTo undergo a sudden, sharp decline in population: Rabbits were dying off in that county.
die outTo cease living completely; become extinct: tribes and tribal customs that died out centuries ago.

Idiom(s):
die hard
  1. To take a long time in passing out of existence: racial prejudices that die hard.
  2. To resist against overwhelming, hopeless odds: radicalism that dies hard.

Idiom(s):
die on the vineTo fail, as from lack of support, especially at an early stage: a plan that died on the vine.

Idiom(s):
to die for Informal Remarkable or highly desirable.

[Middle English dien, probably from Old Norse deyja; see dheu-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

die hard

Take a long time to cease to exist or be dropped from consideration. For example, Old prejudices die hard, or The more radical parts of this proposal will die hard. This idiom alludes to struggling against physical death. [Late 1700s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : die hard
Spanish: tardar en desaparecer,
German: schwer auszurotten,
Japanese: 容易に消えない
More Translations »
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