mire

²mire

verb

miredmir·ing

Definition of MIRE

transitive verb

1

a : to cause to stick fast in or as if in mire b : to hamper or hold back as if by mire : entangle

2

: to cover or soil with mire

intransitive verb

: to stick or sink in mire

Examples of MIRE

1. <the sight of the standard, which had emerged from the battle mangled and mired, still stirred the soldiers' hearts>
2. <the case has been mired in probate court for years>

First Known Use of MIRE

15th century

Related to MIRE

Synonyms: befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, daub, distain [archaic], foul, gaum [dialect], grime, dirty, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

Antonyms: clean, cleanse

Related Words: contaminate, defile, pollute, taint; discolor; confuse, disarrange, disarray, dishevel, disorder, draggle, jumble, mess, muddle; colly [chiefly British dialect], crock [dialect]

Near Antonyms: decontaminate, purge, purify; disinfect, sanitize; brush, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, rinse, scour, scrub, sweep, wash, wipe; brighten, deodorize, freshen, renew, spruce (up); straighten (up), tidy (up)

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with MIRE

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