Preposition: at

• time: Mind you we were so dire at times in the late 70's to 80's the field of candidates is too hard to pick through.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

• make: Consequently we busily create ominous circumstances which could make the 21st century even more dire than the 20th century.

Modifies a noun

• strait: The crop side is in even more dire straits.

• gnosis: Find out more at Geoff Stray's interesting site, with its dire gnosis...

• consequence: Benefit cuts have already had dire consequences for large numbers of people with HIV.

• warning: The manual gives dire warnings about not dropping these down into the void.

• prediction: Despite dire predictions, there have been no job losses.

• peril: Most of us, when in some direction we think ourselves to be strong, are in dire peril of collapse.

Modifying Another Word

• pretty: Sadly Hiding Place were pretty dire to say the least, there was nothing good about them at all.

• absolutely: Read all top rated reviews... Absolutely dire, a huge disappointment.

• potentially: How then do we address such potentially dire threats of genetic engineering?

• fairly: The rest of the first half was fairly dire.

• so: The first visit was so dire, I was compelled to write and complain.

Infinitive complement

• say: Sadly Hiding Place were pretty dire to say the least, there was nothing good about them at all.

Used with adjective complement

• sound: SCULLY: I don't mean for this to sound too dire.

• become: How have you allowed your financial situation to become so dire, my dear girl?

• look: Demonic 21st March 2006, 20:29 Originally posted by Shazz it looks dire.

• get: From the point of view of one of the trainers, the situation is getting dire indeed.

Preposition: of

• circumstance: Such a police action should only be considered in the most dire of circumstances.