/ daɪ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( dies , dying , died , died )
1.
die (of / from sth) | die (for sth) to stop living :
[ v ]
to die of / from cancer
Her husband died suddenly last week.
He died for his beliefs.
That plant's died.
I'll never forget it to my dying day (= until I die) .
( informal )
I nearly died when I saw him there (= it was very embarrassing) .
[ vn ]
to die a violent / painful / natural, etc. death
[ v - adj ]
She died young.
At least they died happy.
[ v - n ]
He died a poor man.
2.
[ v ] to stop existing; to disappear :
The old customs are dying.
His secret died with him (= he never told anyone) .
The words died on my lips (= I stopped speaking) .
3.
[ v ] ( of a machine ) to stop working :
The engine spluttered and died.
My car just died on me .
•
IDIOMS
- be dying for sth / to do sth
- die a / the death
- die in your bed
- die laughing
- old habits, traditions, etc. die hard
- to die for
—more at cross verb , fly noun , say verb
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- die away
- die back
- die down
- die off
- die out
■ noun
1.
a block of metal with a special shape, or with a pattern cut into it, that is used for shaping other pieces of metal such as coins, or for making patterns on paper or leather
2.
( especially NAmE ) = dice
•
IDIOMS
- the die is cast
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb Middle English : from Old Norse deyja , of Germanic origin; related to dead .
noun Middle English : from Old French de , from Latin datum something given or played, neuter past participle of dare .