Dire

Adjective

Definition: Extremely serious or urgent.

Synonyms: Grave, Critical, Severe, Urgent

Antonyms: Minor, Insignificant, Trivial

Examples:
  • The country is facing a dire economic crisis.
  • The patient's condition is dire; we need to operate immediately.
Mnemonics:
  • Think of dire situations being extremely serious and urgent, like a dire emergency.

Etymology:

Origin:

Middle English, from Latin dirus, meaning "fearful" or "dreadful."

Historical Usage:

The word "dire" has been used in English since the 15th century, derived from its Latin counterpart.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"Dire straits"

Explanation:

This phrase refers to a very difficult or desperate situation.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Using "dire" to describe a positive or neutral situation.

Explanation:

"Dire" specifically denotes a negative or alarming circumstance, and should not be used to describe a positive or neutral scenario.

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