die

die1 [ daı ] (past tense and past participle died; present participle dying) verb ***

1. ) intransitive or transitive to stop being alive:

My grandfather died at the age of 86.

die of/from: She is dying of cancer.

die for: They were ready to die for their country.

die young/happy/poor: Tragically, Keats died young.

die a sudden/violent/natural etc. death: Several people in the village have died violent deaths.

die a millionaire/hero/coward etc.: I'm proud to tell you that your son died a hero.

2. ) intransitive to disappear or stop existing:

Coal mining is dying in this area.

Our memory of her will never die.

3. ) intransitive to stop burning or shining:

They watched the fire dying in the grate.

4. ) intransitive INFORMAL to stop operating:

The car's just died on me.

dying for something/to do something SPOKEN

wanting to have/do something so much that you do not want to wait:

I'm dying for a cup of coffee.

We're dying to meet your new boyfriend.

dying of boredom/hunger/thirst etc. SPOKEN

feeling very bored/hungry/thirsty etc.

die laughing SPOKEN

to laugh a lot

I nearly died/I could have died SPOKEN

used for saying that you were very embarrassed or shocked by something

never say die SPOKEN

used for encouraging someone to keep trying or hoping

to die for INFORMAL

so good that you want to have it very much

would rather die or would die first

used for emphasizing that you refuse to do something

,die a`way phrasal verb intransitive

to become quieter or weaker and finally stop:

The echoes gradually died away.

,die `back phrasal verb intransitive

if a plant dies back, the part above the ground dies but the roots stay alive

,die `down phrasal verb intransitive

if something dies down, it becomes much less noisy, powerful, or active:

I waited for the laughter to die down before I spoke.

The wind died down during the night.

,die `off phrasal verb intransitive

if a group dies off, the members die one by one until none exist:

The generation that fought in the war are all dying off.

,die `out phrasal verb intransitive

to become weaker or less common and then disappear completely:

The tribe's traditional way of life is dying out.

die

die 2 [ daı ] noun count

1. ) a block of metal used for pressing or cutting something into a shape or pattern

2. ) one of a pair of DICE

the die is cast

used for saying that an event or decision cannot be changed and will have an important effect on the future