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dead

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The definition of dead is no longer alive, or it is absolute, lacking in emotion, dull, numb or no longer relevant for some reason.

(adjective)

A person who has passed away and who is no longer alive is someone who would be described as dead.
When your career has faltered, you've been fired and have no hope of gaining your position back, this is an example of a time when your career is dead.
When you speak in a cold and emotionless voice, this is an example of a dead tone of voice.
When you are absolutely and completely exhausted, this is an example of a time when you are dead tired.
When a party has become really boring and there's no more excitement, this is an example of a time when the party is dead.
When the ball is out of play in a game, this is an example of a time when the ball is dead.

See dead in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

no longer living; having died
naturally without life; inanimate: dead stones
such as to suggest death; deathlike: a dead faint
lacking positive qualities, as of warmth, vitality, interest, brightness, brilliance, etc.: a dead handshake, a dead party, a dead white
wholly indifferent; insensible: dead to love
without feeling, motion, or power: his arm hung dead at his side
1. not burning; extinguished: dead coals
2. extinct: a dead volcano
characterized by little or no movement or activity; slack, stagnant, etc.: dead water
designating an axle that supports but does not drive a wheel
having lost resilience or elasticity: a dead tennis ball
no longer used or significant; obsolete: dead languages, dead laws
1. not fertile; barren: dead soil
2. not yielding a return; unproductive: dead capital
certain as death; unerring; sure: a dead shot
exact; precise: dead center
complete; total; absolute: a dead stop
unvarying; undeviating: dead level
Informal very tired; exhausted
Elec.
1. having no current passing through: a dead wire
2. having lost its charge: a dead battery
Printing set, but no longer needed for use: dead type
Sports
1. no longer in play: a dead ball
2. barred by a game's rules from making a particular play

Origin: ME ded < OE dēad, akin to ON dauthr, OHG tōt, Goth dauths: orig. pp. of an old v. base appearing in ON deyja, OS dojan, OHG touwen, all < IE base *dheu-, die

noun

the time of greatest darkness, most intense cold, etc.: the dead of night, the dead of winter

adverb

completely; absolutely: dead right
directly: dead ahead

Related Forms:

deadness noun

See dead in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective dead·er, dead·est

Having lost life; no longer alive.
Marked for certain death; doomed: was marked as a dead man by the assassin.
a. Having the physical appearance of death: a dead pallor.
b. Lacking feeling or sensitivity; numb or unresponsive: Passersby were dead to our pleas for help.
c. Weary and worn-out; exhausted.
a. Not having the capacity to live; inanimate or inert.
b. Not having the capacity to produce or sustain life; barren: dead soil.
a. No longer in existence, use, or operation.
b. No longer having significance or relevance.
c. Physically inactive; dormant: a dead volcano.
a. Not commercially productive; idle: dead capital.
b. Not circulating or running; stagnant: dead water; dead air.
a. Devoid of human or vehicular activity; quiet: a dead town.
b. Lacking all animation, excitement, or activity; dull: The party being dead, we left early.
Having no resonance. Used of sounds: “One characteristic of compact discs we all can hear is dead sound. It may be pure but it has no life” (Musical Heritage Review).
Having grown cold; having been extinguished: dead coals; a dead flame.
Lacking elasticity or bounce: That tennis ball is dead.
Out of operation because of a fault or breakdown: The motor is dead.
a. Sudden; abrupt: a dead stop.
b. Complete; utter: dead silence.
c. Exact; unerring. the dead center of a target.
Sports Out of play. Used of a ball.
a. Lacking connection to a source of electric current.
b. Drained of electric charge; discharged: a dead battery.