die

1 of 2

verb

ˈdī 

died; dying ˈdī-iŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to pass from physical life : expire

died at the age of 56

die young

died from his injuries

a dying tree

2

a

: to pass out of existence : cease

their anger died at these words

b

: to disappear or subside gradually

—often used with away, down, or out

the storm died down

3

a

: sink, languish

dying from fatigue

b

: to long keenly or desperately

dying to go

c

: to be overwhelmed by emotion

die of embarrassment

4

a

: to cease functioning : stop

the motor died

b

: to end in failure

the bill died in committee

5

: to become indifferent

die to worldly things

die

2 of 2

noun

ˈdī 

plural dice ˈdīs  or dies ˈdīz 

1

plural dice : a small cube marked on each face with from one to six spots and used usually in pairs in various games and in gambling by being shaken and thrown to come to rest at random on a flat surface

—often used figuratively in expressions concerning chance or the irrevocability of a course of action

the die was cast

2

plural dies, architecture : dado sense 1a

3

plural dies : any of various tools or devices for imparting a desired shape, form, or finish to a material or for impressing an object or material: such as

a(1)

: the larger of a pair of cutting or shaping tools that when moved toward each other produce a desired form in or impress a desired device on an object by pressure or by a blow

(2)

: a device composed of a pair of such tools

b

: a hollow internally threaded screw-cutting tool used for forming screw threads

c

: a mold into which molten metal or other material is forced

d

: a perforated block through which metal or plastic is drawn or extruded for shaping

Phrases

die hard

1

: to be long in dying

such rumors die hard

2

: to continue resistance against hopeless odds

that kind of determination dies hard

die on the vine

: to fail especially at an early stage through lack of support or enthusiasm

let the proposal die on the vine

to die for

: extremely desirable or appealing

the dessert was to die for

Synonyms

Verb

• check out
• conk (out)
• croak [slang]
• decease
• demise
• depart
• drop
• end
• exit
• expire
• fall
• flatline
• go
• kick in [slang]
• kick off [slang]
• pass (on)
• pass away
• part
• peg out [chiefly British]
• perish
• pop off
• step out
• succumb

Noun

• bones
• dice

Examples of die in a Sentence

Verb

She claims she's not afraid to die.

He died in 1892 at the age of 37.

People in the town began dying suddenly.

He died a violent and painful death.

Her secret died with her.

He's the last of a dying breed.

Noun

Each player throws one die.

he rolled the die, hoping for a six

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Shoot some ewes, the biologists said, to keep even more from dying. —Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024

Jones and Clements were transported to a local hospital in critical condition where Clements later died. —USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024

This approach is reflected in her space’s clean, calming, somewhat Brutalist interior design — a mirror resting on cinder blocks, gray everywhere — the look of which took inspiration from artists’ lofts and Le Corbusier, the Swiss French architect who died in 1965. —Devorah Lev-Tov Kin Woo Ella Riley-Adams Jameson Montgomery Kurt Soller Megan O’Sullivan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024

According to the new series logline, when one of their dearest friends dies suddenly, the OG residents of Melrose Place gather to honor the deceased. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2024

Simpson’s children announced his death Thursday, saying that their father died following a private cancer battle. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2024

When Snyder’s grandfather, Harry Snyder, died in December 1976, the business was led by his sons Rich and Guy. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024

Isaacs suffered a heart attack on Saturday and died later that day. —Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024

Barrios died at the scene and another man nearby was injured. —Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024

Noun

One to 3 children out of 1,000 die after contracting the disease. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024

Read Next Mother arrested after spiked drink sends son’s classmate to hospital, Texas cops say March 06, 2024 3:12 PM Read Next Florida 10-year-old dies from abuse sustained as a baby, Florida cops say. —Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024

Users reported outages on primary election day 19-year-old dies after being hit by flying object from explosion, fire in Clinton Township James Crumbley bought his son a gun, and his son committed mass murder. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024

Backside power moves the power-delivery interconnects to beneath the silicon, essentially turning the die into an active transistor layer which is sandwiched between two interconnect stacks, each stack having a different functionality. —IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024

The die is close to being cast in the European battle over accounting standards–in favor of the ISSB’s softer financial philosophy. —Camille Fumard, Fortune Europe, 22 Feb. 2024

Read Next National 2-week-old dies after mom falls asleep while breastfeeding, cops say. —Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 21 Feb. 2024

Thus, more women who take hormonal contraceptives as prescribed die each year as a side effect of use than people who take acetaminophen as recommended die as a side effect of use. —Kayla Bartsch, National Review, 28 Jan. 2024

Antique and collectible toys, tractors, trains, dolls, pressed steel, die cast, cast iron pedal cars, tin toys, games, models, and more will again be for sale at the Carroll Agriculture Center in Westminster Saturday, during the Central Maryland Farm Toy Show. —Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English dien, from or akin to Old Norse deyja to die; akin to Old High German touwen to die

Noun

Middle English dee, from Anglo-French dé

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing die

• cross my heart and hope to die
• die before one's time
• die from/of hunger
• die in bed
• die intestate
• die in one's bed
• die laughing
• die in childbirth
• die of/from thirst
• die in one's sleep
• die in committee
• die out
• die like flies
• old habits die hard
• never say die
• do-or-die
• the die is cast
• die down
• die of
• die hard
• die off
• die away
• sine die
• to die for
• die on the vine

Kids Definition

die

1 of 2 verb

ˈdī 

died; dying ˈdī-iŋ 

1

: to stop living : expire

died of old age

2

a

: to pass out of existence : come to an end

their anger was dying down

b

: to disappear or lessen gradually

the wind died down

3

a

: to wish eagerly or desperately

dying to go

b

: to be completely overcome with emotion

almost died of embarrassment

4

: to stop functioning

the motor sputtered and died

die

2 of 2 noun

ˈdī 

1

plural dice ˈdīs  : a small cube marked on each side with one to six spots and used usually in pairs in various games

—often used figuratively in expressions concerning chance or the absence of possible change in a course of action

the die was cast

2

plural dies ˈdīz  : any of various devices used for cutting, shaping, or stamping a material or object

Etymology

Verb

Middle English dien "to die," of Norse origin

Noun

Middle English dee "small cube marked with spots and thrown in gambling, dice," from early French dé (same meaning)

Medical Definition

die

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈdī 

died; dying ˈdī-iŋ 

1

: to suffer total and irreversible loss of the bodily attributes and functions that constitute life

2

: to suffer or face the pains of death

die

2 of 2 noun

plural dies ˈdīz 

: any of various tools or devices for imparting a desired shape, form, or finish to a material or for impressing an object or material