Meaning of dead In English

• 0 not now living:

  • She's been dead for 20 years now.

  • The motorcyclist was dead on arrival at the hospital.

  • He was shot dead (= killed by shooting) outside his home.

  • I've been sitting with my legs crossed for so long, my right leg has gone dead.

• 1 If glasses and bottles that were previously full are dead, they are now empty.

• 2 If a place is dead, it is too quiet and nothing interesting happens there:

  • The city centre is quite lively during the day, but it's totally dead at night.

• 3 If a piece of equipment is dead, it is not working:

  • a dead battery

  • The phone suddenly went dead.

• 4 very tired:

  • I'm absolutely dead by the end of the day.

• 5 complete(ly):

  • The conductor waited for dead silence before commencing the performance.

  • The post office is dead (= straight) ahead.

  • Aim for the dead (= exact) centre of the target.

  • I always try to arrive dead (= exactly) on time.

  • The exam was dead easy.

  • I'm dead hungry.

  • "How was the film?" "It was dead good."

  • He's dead set against living in the city.

  • You won't be able to change his mind - he's dead against the plan.

  • Martha's dead set on having a new bike.

• 6 dead people:

  • Three children were among the dead.

  • A ceasefire has been called to allow the survivors to bury their dead.

• 7 no longer living:

  • dead leaves

  • Local residents found the whale dead on the beach.

  • a dead battery

  • The phone suddenly went dead.

  • I love my hometown, but as a teenager I always found it dead.

• 8 complete or exact:

  • The conductor waited for dead silence before lifting his baton.

  • He aimed for the dead center of the target.

• 9 completely or extremely:

  • After a hard day’s work, I was dead tired.

• 10 people who are no longer living:

  • She did not know any of the names listed among the dead.

• 11 the deepest or most extreme part of something

• 12 no longer existing, or no longer having success or making progress:

  • Some believe that employee loyalty to organizations is dead because lifetime employment is no longer possible.

  • The online service attracted far fewer customers than predicted and is practically dead, analysts said.

  • She saved a nearly dead $250 million deal to renovate the downtown area.

• 13 if a place is dead, nothing is happening there:

  • Taxi drivers reported that business was slow and the airport has been dead.

• 14 used to describe a machine or equipment that has stopped working:

  • go dead The phone line went dead.

• 15 having failed and very unlikely to have any success in the future:

  • Mr Winters said his plans for a management buyout were dead in the water.