From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdiredire /daɪə $ daɪr/ ●○○ adjective 1 BADPROBLEMextremely 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 straits3 → dire warning/prediction/forecast
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 