From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdiedie1 /daɪ/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (died, dying, dies) [intransitive] 1 become deadDIE to stop living and become dead He died in 1985 at the age of 76. Her father died suddenly in an accident when she was only ten.die of/from The animals died of starvation in the snow. patients who are dying from cancer She died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 98.die for something (=be killed while fighting to defend something) Do you believe in anything enough to die for it?die young/happy/poor She died young, at the age of 27. The bullet went straight through his head, and he died instantly.to your dying day/until the day you die (=until you die) It must remain a secret until the day I die.somebody’s dying breath/wish (=someone’s last breath or wish) It was his dying wish that the house be opened to the public.die a hero/martyr/rich man etc My uncle died a hero.die a natural/violent/agonizing death Did she die a natural death? (=did she die naturally, or did someone kill her?)GRAMMAR: Prepositions with die• Someone dies of or from a disease or injury: He died of a heart attack.He died from a heart attack. Die of is more common than die from. ✗Don’t say: He died because of a heart attack. • Someone dies in an accident: He died in a car crash. ✗Don’t say: He died by a car crash.• Someone dies for a person, place, or idea that they want to protect: These men died for our freedom.2 disappearDISAPPEAR to disappear or stop existing Our love will never die. The family name will die with him (=disappear when he dies). He’s one of a dying breed (=a type of person that is no longer common).3 machines informalTSTOP HAPPENING to stop working SYN break down The engine spluttered and died.die on somebody (=stop working while they are using it) The mower just died on me.4 → be dying for something/to do something5 → be dying of hunger/thirst/boredom6 → I nearly died/I could have died7 → die of embarrassment/shame8 → I’d rather die9 → in the dying minutes/seconds/moments (of something)10 → old habits/traditions/customs die hard11 → never say die12 → die a/the death13 → die laughing14 → to die forCOLLOCATIONSdie + ADVERBdie instantly (=as soon as an accident, injury etc happens)He was shot in the head and died instantly.die suddenlyShe died suddenly of a heart attack, in Amsterdam.die youngThey had seven children and three of them died young.die aloneHe had a fear of dying alone.die unmarriedHe died unmarried in 1922.die aged 35/50 etcHer father died aged 84.die peacefully (=calmly and without pain)The nurses said that she died very peacefully.die tragicallyHis wife had died tragically in an accident.die penniless (=without any money)Van Gogh died penniless because nobody bought his paintings.phrasesdie in your sleepDuring the night he died in his sleep.die in suspicious/mysterious circumstances (=used to say that someone may have been killed)He got involved with drug dealers and died in mysterious circumstances.die a natural death (=of natural causes, rather than being killed)The coroner concluded that Wilkins had died a natural death.die a sudden/violent/slow etc deathAt the end of the play, the main character dies a violent death.die a hero/rich man etcHe died a hero on the battlefield.die in childbirth (=giving birth to a baby)More women died in childbirth in the past. THESAURUSdie to stop being alive, as a result of old age or illnessI want to see Ireland again before I die.No wonder your plants always die – you don’t water them enough.His son died of liver cancer three years ago.pass away to die – used when you want to avoid using the word ‘die’, in order to show respect or to avoid upsetting someoneMy wife had just passed away, and I didn’t want to be around people.pass on to pass away – use this especially when you believe that the soul has a life after the death of the bodyI’m sorry, Emily, but your mother has passed on.lose your life to be killed in a terrible eventHundreds of people lost their lives when the ship overturned in a storm.perish literary to die in a terrible event – used especially in literature and news reportsFive children perished before firefighters could put out the blaze.give your life/lay down your life formal to die in order to save someone, or because of something that you believe inWe honor the men and women who have given their lives in service of their country.drop dead informal to suddenly die, when people do not expect you toOne day, he came home from work and dropped dead of a heart attack.kick the bucket/pop your clogs British English, buy the farm American English informal to die – used when you are not talking seriously about deathIt’s not like I’m going to kick the bucket tomorrow. → die away → die back → die down → die off → die out→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
die• Broadway classics like "A Chorus Line" will never die.• The engine coughed and died.• She said she had ruined her eyes by crying too much when her husband died.• Yonatan Barnea also was a soldier on his way back to base when he died.• He was very sick and we knew he might die.• I want to see Ireland again before I die.• Many people are worried about growing old and dying alone.• By the time the white petals died and the mint-colored berry poked out, the leaf shine was gilded tight and waxy.• I must, I must, I will die if I remain silent.• In the spring of her 93rd year, Miss Grantley died in her sleep.• The meeting began with a minute's silence for those who had died in Northern Ireland in the past 23 years.• A 72 year old woman died of a perforated colon 11 days after completing the trial, despite continuing prednisolone treatment.• His son died of liver cancer three years ago.• The autopsy said he had died of natural causes, but his family is not convinced.• Her husband had died two years earlier.• Christopher and Matthew Key died when their parents' car collided with another on a waterlogged road.• Night guard duty was killing time that had died while you weren't looking and so it went on for ever.• No wonder your plants always die - you don't water them enough.die a natural/violent/agonizing death• Company support slipped away and the adhesives programme died a natural death.• His father seemed a more promising candidate for that role and he had died a natural death.• Sometimes I think they just want to let the whole thing die a natural death.• The flower phase died a natural death.• The Revolution remained a military sedition and appeared likely to die a natural death.• Is it surprising that he should die a natural death from a heart attack?dying breed• He's among the a dying breed.• Little old ladies who had relished home baking were a dying breed and the younger generation simply couldn't relate to them.• There are still a few of this dying breed around.• The truth is that Eddie represents a dying breed of the playboy racing driver.diedie2 noun [countable] 1 TIa metal block used to press or cut something into a particular shape2 DGa dice3 → the die is castExamples from the Corpus
die• A die could survive over a long period of time.• The likely total number of dies can then be multiplied by the average number of coins per die.Origin die1 (1100-1200) Probably from Old Norse deyja 