expire
verb/ɪkˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ · /ɛkˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
Etymology From Middle English expire, from Middle French expirer, from Latin expīrō, exspīrō, from ex- (“out”) + spīrō (“breathe, be alive”).
7 senses
1
To die.
- The patient expired in hospital.
- And then, his head ſinking on his pillow, he expired; at about half an hour after ten.1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter CXIII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume VII, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 415:
3 more examples
- Hippolita, ſcarce more alive than her daughter, was regardleſs of every thing but her: but when the tender Iſabella’s care would have likewiſe removed her, while the ſurgeons examined Matilda’s wound, ſhe cried, remove me! never! never! I lived but in her, and will expire with her.1764 December 24 (indicated as 1765), Onuphrio Muralto, translated by William Marshal [pseudonyms; Horace Walpole], chapter V, in The Castle of Otranto, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Lownds […], →OCLC, pages 190–191:
- Soon the patient had no longer sufficient strength to sit up; the trunk of the body was inclined to the right side, the head high and thrown backward, the mouth wide open: she seemed to stifle rather than respire: lastly, speech and respiration failed her; she uttered, however, in a feeble voice, some incoherent words, said she felt she was dying, and, accordingly, expired the sixth day after entrance.1833, R. J. Bertin, translated by Charles W. Chauncy, Treatise on the Diseases of the Heart, and Great Vessels, Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blnachard, page 185:
- People bled to death like gentlemen in an operating room or expired without comment in an oxygen tent.1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 168:
2
To lapse and become invalid.
- My library card will expire next week.
3
To come to an end; to conclude.
- And when the thousand yeeres are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, […]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 20:7:
4
Ambitransitive To exhale; to breathe out.
- Anatomy exhibits the lungs in a continual motion of inspiring and expiring air.1672, Gideon Harvey, Morbus Anglicus, Or, The Anatomy of Consumptions:
- This chafed the boar; his nostrils flames expire.1717, John Dryden, Meleager and Atalanta:
1 more example
- Animals expire carbon and plants inspire it; plants expire oxygen and animals inspire it.1843, Loring Dudley Chapin, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
5
To give forth insensibly or gently, as a fluid or vapour; to emit in minute particles.
- the expiring of cold out of the inward parts of the earth in winter1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
6
To bring to a close; to terminate.
- Expire the term / Of a despised life.c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
7
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To cause to lapse; to invalidate.
- The site expires cached pages that are older than 24 hours.
- Related terms
- expiration, inspire, respiration, respire, spirit