Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Expire
Ex-pire′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Expired
; p. pr & vb. n.
Expiring
.] [L.
expirare
, exspirare
, expiratum
, exspiratum
; ex
out + spirare
to breathe: cf. F. expirer
. See Spirit
.] 1.
To breathe out; to emit from the lungs; to throw out from the mouth or nostrils in the process of respiration; – opposed to
inspire
. Anatomy exhibits the lungs in a continual motion of inspiring and
expiring
air. Harvey.
This chafed the boar; his nostrils flames
expire
. Dryden.
2.
To give forth insensibly or gently, as a fluid or vapor; to emit in minute particles; to exhale;
as, the earth
expires
a damp vapor; plants expire
odors.The
expiring
of cold out of the inward parts of the earth in winter. Bacon.
3.
To emit; to give out.
[Obs.]
Dryden.
4.
To bring to a close; to terminate.
[Obs.]
Expire
the termOf a despised life.
Shakespeare
Ex-pire′
,Verb.
I.
1.
To emit the breath.
2.
To emit the last breath; to breathe out the life; to die;
as, to
expire
calmly; to expire
in agony.3.
To come to an end; to cease; to terminate; to perish; to become extinct;
as, the flame
expired
; his lease expires
to-day; the month expired
on Saturday.4.
To burst forth; to fly out with a blast.
[Obs.]
“The ponderous ball expires.” Dryden.
Webster 1828 Edition
Expire
EXPI'RE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To breathe out; to throw out the breath from the lungs; opposed to inspire. We expire air at every breath.2.
To exhale; to emit in minute particles, as a fluid or volatile matter. The earth expires a damp or warm vapor; the body expires fluid matter from the pores; plants expire odors.3.
To conclude.EXPI'RE
,Verb.
I.
1.
To perish; to end; to fail or be destroyed; to come to nothing; to be frustrated. With the loss of battle all his hopes of empire expired.
2.
To fly out; to be thrown out with force. [Unusual.]The ponderous ball expires.
3.
To come to an end; to cease; to terminate; to close or conclude,as a given period. A lease will expire on the first of May. The year expires on Monday. The contract will expire at Michaelmas. The days had not expired.When forty years had expired. Act 7.
Definition 2024
expire
expire
See also: expiré
English
Verb
expire (third-person singular simple present expires, present participle expiring, simple past and past participle expired)
- (intransitive) to die
- The patient expired in hospital.
- (intransitive) to become invalid
- My library card will expire next week.
- (intransitive) to exhale; to breathe (out).
- Harvey
- Anatomy exhibits the lungs in a continual motion of inspiring and expiring air.
- Dryden
- This chafed the boar; his nostrils flames expire.
- Harvey
- (transitive) to exhale (something).
- 1843, Loring Dudley Chapin
- Animals expire carbon and plants inspire it; plants expire oxygen and animals inspire it.
- 1843, Loring Dudley Chapin
- (transitive) To give forth insensibly or gently, as a fluid or vapour; to emit in minute particles.
- Francis Bacon
- the expiring of cold out of the inward parts of the earth in winter
- Francis Bacon
- (transitive) To bring to a close; to terminate.
- Shakespeare
- Expire the term / Of a despised life.
- Shakespeare
Synonyms
- (to die): See also Wikisaurus:die
Antonyms
- (to exhale): inspire
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
die — see die
become invalid
exhale — see exhale
to exhale (something)
Anagrams
French
Verb
expire
- first-person singular present indicative of expirer
- third-person singular present indicative of expirer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of expirer
- third-person singular present subjunctive of expirer
- second-person singular imperative of expirer
Anagrams
Portuguese
Verb
expire
- first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of expirar
- third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of expirar
- third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of expirar
- third-person singular (você) negative imperative of expirar