ire

ire

noun \ˈī(-ə)r\

Definition of IRE

: intense and usually openly displayed anger

— ire transitive verb

— ire·ful \-fəl\ adjective

Examples of IRE

1. He directed his ire at the coworkers who reported the incident.
2. <the patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ire>

Origin of IRE

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ira; perhaps akin to Greek oistros gadfly, frenzy

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to IRE

Synonyms

angriness, birse [chiefly Scottish], choler, furor, fury, indignation, irateness, anger, lividity, lividness, mad, madness, mood [archaic], outrage, rage, spleen, wrath, wrathfulness

Antonyms

delight, pleasure

Related Words

aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, irritation, vexation; acrimoniousness, acrimony, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bile, biliousness, bitterness, contempt, embitterment, empoisonment, enmity, grudge, hostility, rancor; envy, jaundice, jealousy, pique, resentment; malevolence, malice, spite, vengefulness, venom, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol; belligerence, contentiousness, contrariness, crankiness, disputatiousness, hot-headedness, irascibility, irascibleness, irritability, orneriness, pugnaciousness, pugnacity, quarrelsomeness, querulousness; blowup, flare, flare-up, outburst; chafe, dander, dudgeon, huff, pet, rise, ruffle, temper; air rage, road rage; delirium, heat, passion, warmth

Near Antonyms

calmness, forbearance, patience

See Synonym Discussion at anger

Rhymes with IRE

briar, choir, fire, gyre, hire, mire, prior, sire, spire, squire, tier, tire, wire

Ire

abbreviation

Definition of IRE

Ireland