dead
dead
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "dead" is /dɛd/.
/dɛd/
Word Form Variations
The word "dead" is primarily an adjective and a noun. It does not have typical singular/plural variations in the same way regular nouns do, nor does it conjugate as a verb.
Adjective: dead (comparative: deader; superlative: deadest - though "more dead" and "most dead" are often preferred or more common)
Noun: dead (referring to deceased people collectively; sometimes "the dead")
Adverb: dead (less common, often used informally, e.g., "dead tired")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition 1: No longer alive; having ceased to live.
Synonyms: deceased, lifeless, expired, gone, departed, late
Antonyms: alive, living, vital, animate
Definition 2: Lacking sensation, feeling, or responsiveness; numb.
Synonyms: numb, senseless, inert, unresponsive, inactive
Antonyms: sensitive, responsive, active, lively
Definition 3: (Of an area or space) devoid of life or vegetation; barren or desolate.
Synonyms: barren, desolate, infertile, sterile, arid
Antonyms: fertile, lush, productive, thriving
Definition 4: (Of an electrical or mechanical system) not working; out of order; no longer functioning.
Synonyms: inoperative, defunct, broken, idle, kaput
Antonyms: operative, functional, working, active
Definition 5: (Of a sound) completely muffled or stopped.
Synonyms: muffled, dull, flat, silent, subdued
Antonyms: resonant, vibrant, live, echoing
Definition 6: (Informal, often hyperbolic) Exhausted or extremely tired.
Synonyms: exhausted, fatigued, worn out, spent, bushed (informal)
Antonyms: refreshed, energized, lively, rested
Noun
Definition 1: (The dead) People who have died; those who are no longer alive.
Synonyms: deceased, departed, fatalities, casualties
Antonyms: living, survivors
Definition 2: The most intense or precise part (usually used in phrases like "the dead of night" or "the dead of winter").
Synonyms: middle, depth, heart, core
Antonyms: beginning, end, edge, periphery
Adverb
Definition 1: Absolutely; completely; entirely (often used to emphasize an adjective).
Synonyms: completely, entirely, absolutely, utterly, perfectly
Antonyms: partially, slightly, somewhat
Examples of Use
Books:
"He had a dead stare in his eyes, as if all life had been drained from him." (From The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, August 2020)
"The old house stood dead silent on the hill, its windows like vacant eyes." (From Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, June 2020)
Newspapers:
"Investigators found the car by the side of the road, its engine dead." (From The New York Times)
"The local economy is pronounced dead by analysts as unemployment rates soar." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Why are so many insects turning up dead in our backyards this summer?" (From a blog post on National Geographic)
"The internet connection in the remote village was dead for hours after the storm." (From an article on BBC News Online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I see dead people." (A memorable line from the movie The Sixth Sense, August 1999)
Television Series: "Is the monster truly dead, or will it rise again?" (Dialogue from an episode of Stranger Things, Season 4, May 2022)
Video Game: "Your character is dead! Respawn in 5 seconds." (Common on-screen message in games like Call of Duty, various releases)
Music: "I'm dead inside, can't you see?" (Lyric from the song "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, April 2003)
Podcast: "In this episode, we discuss the latest archaeological findings from the Dead Sea Scrolls." (From Stuff You Should Know podcast, October 2023)
General Public Discourse:
"My phone battery is completely dead." (Common phrase used when a phone has run out of power)
"The party was dead until the music started." (Referring to a lack of energy or excitement at an event)
"That joke was dead on arrival." (Meaning the joke failed to get a laugh immediately)
"Don't disturb the dead." (A saying often used to mean leaving past issues or people alone)
10 Quotes Using Dead
"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." (Mark Twain, June 1897) - This is often misquoted, but Twain himself said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated" in a letter.
"What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger." (George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones, August 1996)
"He's not dead, he's resting." (Monty Python, Monty Python's Flying Circus, November 1969)
"I'm dead, and I'm living." (Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar, January 1963)
"Only the good die young." (Billy Joel, Only the Good Die Young, June 1977) - While the song title is more famous, the lyric is "Only the good die dead young."
"The only good Indian is a dead Indian." (Philip Sheridan, January 1869) - A controversial and historically significant quote.
"I have been half dead for ten years, and this is the first time that I have felt truly alive." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, July 1954)
"When you're dead, you're dead." (Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, May 1945)
"You are already dead." (Kenshiro's catchphrase, Fist of the North Star manga series, September 1983)
"The love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10, King James Bible) - Often misremembered, but the passage states, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." This is a tricky one as the word "dead" is not explicitly in the famous part of the quote. Here's a replacement: "I was dead for many years before I began to live." (Charles Bukowski, Ham on Rye, March 1982)
Etymology
The word "dead" has a long history, going back to the very earliest forms of the English language.
It comes from Old English (the form of English spoken before about 1150 AD) as the word "dēad." At this time, its main meaning was "having ceased to live" or "no longer alive," which is still its primary meaning today.
This Old English word dēad can be traced even further back to a common ancestor of Germanic languages (like Dutch, German, and Norse languages) called Proto-Germanic. In Proto-Germanic, the word was something like "daudaz."
Interestingly, while "dead" is an adjective, the verb "to die" actually came into English a bit later, likely borrowed from Old Norse. So, in a way, "dead" was around describing the state of not being alive before "die" was commonly used to describe the action of ceasing to live in English.
Over time, "dead" expanded its meaning beyond just living things to describe anything that's not working, lively, or active, like a "dead battery" or a "dead silence."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Dead
Dead as a doornail: Completely and utterly dead; no longer functioning or alive.
Dead end: A point beyond which progress is impossible; a street or passage closed at one end.
Dead giveaway: An obvious and undeniable clue or sign.
Dead in the water: Making no progress or having no future.
Dead meat: Someone who is in serious trouble or about to be punished severely.
Dead ringer: Someone or something that looks exactly like another.
Beat a dead horse: To waste effort arguing a point that has already been decided or is futile.
Over my dead body: Expressing strong opposition to something, implying one would die rather than let it happen.
Drop dead: A rude way to tell someone to go away or stop bothering you.
Dead broke: Having no money at all.
Dead to the world: Sleeping very soundly.
In the dead of night/winter: The deepest, darkest, or coldest part of the night or winter.
Dead on arrival (DOA): Used in medical contexts for someone who was dead when they reached a hospital, or figuratively for something that failed immediately.
To be dead set on something: To be absolutely determined to do something.
Talk until one is blue in the face/dead: To talk for a very long time without success.
From the dead: Returning to life or activity after being completely inactive or gone.
The living and the dead: All people, both those alive and those who have passed away.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of dead from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
