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die back

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia 0.01 sec.
die 1  (d)
intr.v. died, dy·ing (dng), dies
1. To cease living; become dead; expire.
2. To cease existing, especially by degrees; fade: The sunlight died in the west.
3. To experience an agony or suffering suggestive of that of death: nearly died of embarrassment.
4. Informal To desire something greatly: I am dying for a box of chocolates. She was dying to see the exhibit.
5.
a. To cease operation; stop: If your vehicle dies, stay with it.
b. To be destroyed, as in combat: could see the remains of two aircraft that had died in the attack.
6. To become indifferent: had died to all worldly concerns.
Phrasal Verbs:
die back Botany
To be affected by dieback.
die down
To lose strength; subside: The winds died down.
die off
To undergo a sudden, sharp decline in population: Rabbits were dying off in that county.
die out
To cease living completely; become extinct: tribes and tribal customs that died out centuries ago.
Idioms:
die hard
1. To take a long time in passing out of existence: racial prejudices that die hard.
2. To resist against overwhelming, hopeless odds: radicalism that dies hard.
die on the vine
To fail, as from lack of support, especially at an early stage: a plan that died on the vine.
to die for Informal
Remarkable or highly desirable.

[Middle English dien, probably from Old Norse deyja; see dheu-2 in Indo-European roots.]

die 2  (d)
n. pl. dies or dice (ds)
1. pl. dies A device used for cutting out, forming, or stamping material, especially:
a. An engraved metal piece used for impressing a design onto a softer metal, as in coining money.
b. One of several component pieces that are fitted into a diestock to cut threads on screws or bolts.
c. A part on a machine that punches shaped holes in, cuts, or forms sheet metal, cardboard, or other stock.
d. A metal block containing small conical holes through which plastic, metal, or other ductile material is extruded or drawn.
2. pl. dies Architecture The dado of a pedestal, especially when cube-shaped.
3. pl. dice
a. A small cube marked on each side with from one to six dots, usually used in pairs in gambling and in various other games.
b. dice (used with a sing. verb) A game of chance using dice.
tr.v. died, die·ing, dies
To cut, form, or stamp with or as if with a die.
Idioms:
load the dice
1. To make an outcome highly probable; predetermine a result: "These factors merely load the dice, upping the odds that a household will fall into a certain . . . income distribution" (Thomas G. Exter).
2. To put another at a distinct disadvantage, as through prior maneuver: The dice were loaded against the defendant before the trial.
no dice
1. Of no use; futile.
2. Used as a refusal to a request.
the die is cast
The decision has been made and is irrevocable.

[Middle English de, gaming die, from Old French, from Latin datum, given, from neuter past participle of dare, to give; see d- in Indo-European roots.]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.die back - suffer from a disease that kills shoots; "The plants near the garage are dying back"
shrink, shrivel, shrivel up, wither - wither, as with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried and shriveled"
Translations
? die back
viabsterben


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
Avocado trees are extremely sensitive to heavy pruning and have a tendency to die back from where saw cuts are made.
After the leaves die back in late spring, a flower stalk usually develops and a head full of black seeds are produced.
Exhaust ducts follow exactly the same circuitry pattern in reverse, going from small ducts leaving the die back to a larger main exhaust duct and finally to the exhaust blower.
 
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