dire

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++dire /daɪə $ daɪr/ ●○○ adjective  1  BADPROBLEMextremely serious or terrible 极其严重的，极可怕的 warnings of dire consequences that often don’t come true 对严重后果的警告，尽管这些后果常常不会出现 The country is in dire need of food aid. 这个国家急需食品援助。 The situation looked dire. 情况看来非常严重。2  be in dire straits to be in an extremely difficult or serious situation 处于岌岌可危的境地 Everyone agrees the sport is in dire straits. 人人都认为这个体育项目已处于岌岌可危的境地。3  dire warning/prediction/forecast WARNa warning about something terrible that will happen in the future 可怕的警告/预测/预言 Last night there were dire warnings of civil war. 昨晚传来关于内战的可怕警告。

Examples from the Corpus

dire• The situation doesn't seem as dire as you described it.• The conditions may sound wonderful, but they can have dire consequences.• Usually these reports concentrate on prophecies of a forthcoming Armageddon but many also describe a dire contemporary situation.• The threats were dire enough to make the Republicans look reckless when they refused to budge.• The overwhelming impression left by the survey is one of dire poverty.• That too often meant that jobs went abroad to places with very low wages and dire standards of living.in dire need of• At the time, rebels were in dire need of arms.• Feeling in dire need of fresh air, Ellie went outside into the grounds.• But many of them are in dire need of repair.Origin dire (1500-1600) Latin dirus

dire adjectiveChinese  

serious terrible extremely Corpus or

dire
dire /daɪə $ daɪr/ adjective1. extremely serious or terrible:
    warnings of dire consequences that often don’t come true
    The country is in dire need of food aid.
    The situation looked dire.
2. be in dire straits to be in an extremely difficult or serious situation:
    Everyone agrees the sport is in dire straits.
3. dire warning/prediction/forecast a warning about something terrible that will happen in the future:
    Last night there were dire warnings of civil war.

direBrE /ˈdaɪə(r)/ 🔊NAmE /ˈdaɪər/ 🔊 adjective (direr, dir·est) [usually before noun] (formal) very serious 极其严重的；危急的◆living in dire poverty生活赤贫◆dire warnings/threats 严重的警告／威胁◆Such action may have dire consequences. 这种行为可能产生严重后果。🔊🔊◆We're in dire need of your help. 我们急需你的帮助。🔊🔊◆The firm is in dire straits (= in a very difficult situation) and may go bankrupt. 这家公司已陷入极度困境之中，可能会破产。🔊🔊(BrE, informal) very bad 极糟的；极差的◆The acting was dire. 这表演糟透了。🔊🔊