Search Result for "dire": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless;
- Example: "a desperate illness"
- Example: "on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel"- G.C.Marshall
- Example: "a dire emergency"
[syn: desperate, dire]

2. causing fear or dread or terror;
- Example: "the awful war"
- Example: "an awful risk"
- Example: "dire news"
- Example: "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"
- Example: "the dread presence of the headmaster"
- Example: "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"
- Example: "a dreadful storm"
- Example: "a fearful howling"
- Example: "horrendous explosions shook the city"
- Example: "a terrible curse"
[syn: awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dire \Dire\ (d[imac]r), a. [Compar. Direr (d[imac]r"[~e]r);
   superl. Direst.] [L. dirus; of uncertain origin.]
   1. Ill-boding; portentous; as, dire omens.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Evil in great degree; dreadful; dismal; horrible;
      terrible; lamentable.
      [1913 Webster]

            Dire was the tossing, deep the groans. --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

            Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire. --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

dire
    adj 1: fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; "a
           desperate illness"; "on all fronts the Allies were in a
           desperate situation due to lack of materiel"-
           G.C.Marshall; "a dire emergency" [syn: desperate,
           dire]
    2: causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful
       risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that
       London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster";
       "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a
       dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions
       shook the city"; "a terrible curse" [syn: awful, dire,
       direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful,
       fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific,
       terrible]