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verb

die

dih
verb
1
To stop living; to reach the end of life.
"The old oak tree finally died after the drought."
"He died peacefully in his sleep at ninety-two."
2
To stop working or functioning; to break down.
"My phone battery died halfway through the film."
"The engine died right in the middle of the intersection."
3
To want something so much it feels overwhelming (informal, exaggerated use).
"I’m dying for a coffee right now."
noun
1
A small cube marked with dots on each face, used in games of chance (plural: dice).
"She rolled the die and moved her piece four spaces."
2
A tool or mold used to cut or shape metal, plastic, or other material into a specific form.
"The factory uses a steel die to stamp out coin blanks."

How to Use Die

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stop being alive, or (informally) for a machine to stop working — also a completely unrelated word for a gaming cube or a metal-shaping tool.

Common mistake

Don’t confuse with "dye" (to color fabric) — they sound identical but are unrelated.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
die of natural causes die laughing roll the die

Word Forms

died past tense, die plural, died plural, dies plural, dice plural, dies plural, dies singular, die singular, died singular, diest singular, diedst singular, dieth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old oak tree finally _____ after the drought.

Etymology

From Middle English deyen, likely from Old Norse deyja, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to die." It gradually replaced the older native English words for dying.

Related Words

Rhymes for die

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial