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dire

 - 3 dictionary results

dire

  [dahyuhr]
–adjective, dir⋅er, dir⋅est.
1. causing or involving great fear or suffering; dreadful; terrible: a dire calamity.
2. indicating trouble, disaster, misfortune, or the like: dire predictions about the stock market.
3. urgent; desperate: in dire need of food.
Use dire in a Sentence
Origin:
1560–70; < L dīrus fearful, unlucky

Related forms:
direly, adverb
direness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To dire
dire   (dīr)   
adj.   dir·er, dir·est

  1. Warning of or having dreadful or terrible consequences; calamitous: a dire economic forecast; dire threats.

  2. Urgent; desperate: in dire need; dire poverty.


[Latin dīrus, fearsome, terrible; akin to Greek deinos.]
dire'ly adv., dire'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

dire 
1567, from L. dirus "fearful, awful, boding ill," from Oscan and Umbrian, cognate with Gk. deinos, from PIE base *dwei-.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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