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adj

dead

dehd
adj
1
No longer alive.
"The old oak tree had been dead for years."
"Her grandfather has been dead since 2010."
2
No longer working, active, or in use.
"My phone battery is dead."
"That line has been dead for months — nobody uses it anymore."
3
Complete or exact, especially describing precision or stillness.
"He hit dead centre with his first shot."
"There was dead silence in the room."
adv
1
Completely; exactly.
"You're dead right about that."
"The arrow landed dead on target."

How to Use Dead

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNo longer alive, or (informally) no longer working, active, or exact/complete.

When to use it

The intensifier use ("dead easy", "dead right") is common in British informal speech.

Common pairings
dead battery dead silence dead tired dead on time

Word Forms

deader comparative, deaded past tense, deads singular, deadest superlative

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The old oak tree had been _____ for years.

Etymology

From Old English dead, from a Proto-Germanic root also behind German tot and Dutch dood.

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Rhymes for dead

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial