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   dire

   /ˈdʌɪə/

   adjective

   • 1. extremely serious or urgent: "misuse of drugs can have dire consequences" Similar terribledreadfulappallingfrightfulawfulhorribleatrociousgrimunspeakabledistressingharrowingalarmingshockingoutrageousgraveseriousgrievousdisastrousruinouscalamitouscatastrophiccataclysmicdevastatingcripplingmiserablewretchedwoefulhopelessirretrievableinformal:lousychronicliterary:direfularchaic, humorous:parlousurgentdesperatepressingcryingsoregraveseriousextremeacutedrasticcriticalcrucialvitalOpposite goodmild
   • ▪ (of a warning or threat) presaging disaster: "there were dire warnings from the traffic organizations" Similar ominousportentousgloomydoom and gloomsinistergrimdreadfuldismalunpropitiousinauspiciousunfavourablepessimisticOpposite encouraging
   • 2. of a very poor quality: informal British "the concert was dire"

   Word Origin mid 16th century: from Latin dirus ‘fearful, threatening’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. direly adverb
   • 2. direness noun

   Scrabble Points: 5

   • D

     2

   • I

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

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