dirge

From Latin dirige (“steer”), from the beginning of the first antiphon in matins for the dead, Dirige, Domine, deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam.

• (UK) enPR: dûj, IPA^(key): /dɜːdʒ/
• (US) enPR: dûrj, IPA^(key): /dɝdʒ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)dʒ

dirge (plural dirges)

1. A mournful poem or piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii], lines 8–14, page 153, column 2:

     Therefore our ſometimes Siſter, now our Queen, / Th’ imperiall Ioyntreſſe of this warlike State, / Haue we, as ’twere, with a defeated ioy, / With one Auſpicious, and one Dropping eye, / With mirth in Funerall, and with Dirge in Marriage, / In equall Scale weighing Delight and Dole / Taken to Wife […]

2. (informal) A song or piece of music that is considered too slow, bland or boring.

• lament, requiem, coronach, threnody, elegy

• dirgeful

dirge (third-person singular simple present dirges, present participle dirging, simple past and past participle dirged)

1. To sing dirges

• Ridge, gride, redig, ridge