die to stop being alive, as a result of old age or illness:
I want to see Ireland again before I die. No wonder your plants always die – you don’t water them enough. His son died of liver cancer three years ago.pass away to die – used when you want to avoid using the word ‘die’, in order to show respect or to avoid upsetting someone:
My wife had just passed away, and I didn’t want to be around people.pass on to pass away – use this especially when you believe that the soul has a life after the death of the body:
I’m sorry, Emily, but your mother has passed on.lose your life to be killed in a terrible event:
Hundreds of people lost their lives when the ship overturned in a storm.perish literary to die in a terrible event – used especially in literature and news reports:
Five children perished before firefighters could put out the blaze.give your life/lay down your life formal to die in order to save someone, or because of something that you believe in:
We honor the men and women who have given their lives in service of their country.drop dead informal to suddenly die, when people do not expect you to:
One day, he came home from work and dropped dead of a heart attack.kick the bucket/pop your clogs British English,
buy the farm American English informal to die – used when you are not talking seriously about death:
It’s not like I’m going to kick the bucket tomorrow. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲