English Explanatory Dictionary

mire

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Deep mud; moist, spongy earth.
  2. A bog or fen; (in wetland science, specifically) a peatland which is actively forming peat, such as an active bog or fen.
  3. An undesirable situation; a predicament.
verb
  1. To cause or permit to become stuck in mud; to plunge or fix in mud.
  2. To sink into mud.
  3. To weigh down.
  4. To soil with mud or foul matter.
noun
  1. An ant.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈmaɪə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mire.wav /ˈmaɪɚ/ /ˈmaɪɹ/

Word forms

mire mires miring mired

Etymology

From Middle English mire, a borrowing from Old Norse mýrr, from Proto-Germanic *miuzijō, whence also Swedish myr, Norwegian myr, Icelandic mýri, Dutch *mier (in placenames, for example Mierlo). Related to Proto-Germanic *meusą, whence Old English mēos, and Proto-Germanic *musą, whence Old English mos (English moss).

Synonyms

peatland quag bemire enmire

Related words

antmire pismire

Derived words

bemire enmire in the mire mire crow mire drum mireland mirish miry pickmire quagmire wallow in the mire unmired

Translations

Spanish: envolver Spanish: empantanar Spanish: atollar
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