---
title: dire — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dire» in the school dictionary: Dire means very serious or terrible, often dangerous. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dire

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Dire, Dire needs, village, scientists, you, dire consequences · **What happens:** mean, be, give, break, say, lose · **To what, where:** dire need, dire warning, rules, job, dire straits, dire situation · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«dire» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [dire in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dire.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dire means very serious or terrible, often dangerous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:m1:1
# text = Dire means very serious or terrible, often dangerous.
1	Dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	often	often	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Dire |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dire needs or situations are extremely urgent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:m2:1
# text = Dire needs or situations are extremely urgent.
1	Dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	needs	need	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	situations	situation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	extremely	extremely	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	urgent	urgent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Dire needs or situations |  |  |  |  | extremely, urgent *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dire means very bad or of low quality.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:m3:1
# text = Dire means very bad or of low quality.
1	Dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Dire |  |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The village was in dire need of clean water after the flood.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x1:1
# text = The village was in dire need of clean water after the flood.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	need	need	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	after	after	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	flood	flood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the village |  |  | dire need | after the flood | of clean water | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The scientists gave a dire warning about the melting ice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x2:1
# text = The scientists gave a dire warning about the melting ice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	melting	melting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the scientists | a dire warning |  |  |  | about the melting ice | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent warning=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you break the rules, there will be dire consequences, the wizard said.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x3:1
# text = If you break the rules, there will be dire consequences, the wizard said.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	break	break	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	9	expl	_	_
8	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	be	be	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	ccomp	_	_
10	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	consequences	consequence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	wizard	wizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | the rules |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer rule=Patient |
| 2 | **be** | future |  |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | dire consequences and the wizard |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After losing his job, the family was in dire straits.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x4:1
# text = After losing his job, the family was in dire straits.
1	After	after	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	straits	strait	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | gerund |  | his job |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent job=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is** | past | the losing family |  |  | dire straits |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **job** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom job «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That film was absolutely dire — I fell asleep.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x5:1
# text = That film was absolutely dire — I fell asleep.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	absolutely	absolutely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
9	asleep	asleep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | that film |  |  |  |  | absolutely, dire *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fall** | past | I |  |  |  |  | asleep *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather was dire all weekend.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x6:1
# text = The weather was dire all weekend.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	weekend	weekend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the weather |  |  |  | weekend | dire *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lost sailors were in a dire situation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x7:1
# text = The lost sailors were in a dire situation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	sailors	sailor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the lost sailors |  |  | a dire situation |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a high compliment to Peter that at that dire moment their thoughts turned to him.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dire:x8:1
# text = It was a high compliment to Peter that at that dire moment their thoughts turned to him.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	compliment	compliment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Peter	Peter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	12	det	_	_
11	dire	dire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	thoughts	thought	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a high compliment | Peter |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **turn** | past | a high compliment |  | Peter |  | moment |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to he=Result |
| 3 | **think** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom thought «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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