tire
B1Neutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
to feel or cause to feel a need for rest; to become weary.
To cause one to lose patience or interest; to become worn, especially referring to a vehicle's rubber wheel covering.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb relates to diminishing energy or interest; the noun (U.S. spelling, UK: tyre) refers to a distinct physical object. The noun meaning is highly frequent in technical and everyday contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: The wheel component is 'tyre' in British English, 'tire' in American English. The verb is 'tire' in both varieties.
Connotations
The verb 'to tire of something' can imply boredom or loss of enthusiasm. The noun carries no strong connotative difference beyond the spelling.
Frequency
The noun meaning is extremely high frequency in both dialects due to automotive contexts. The verb is common in everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] tires (intransitive)[NP1] tires [NP2] (transitive/causative)tire of [NP/V-ing]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sick and tired of”
- “tire of the chase”
- “tire iron (US)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in automotive industry contexts (e.g., 'tire sales', 'tire recall').
Academic
Rare; potentially in human fatigue studies or materials science.
Everyday
Very common for discussing physical fatigue, boredom, and vehicle maintenance.
Technical
Common in automotive engineering (e.g., 'tire composition', 'tire blowout').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The long hike began to tire the children.
- He never seems to tire of telling that story.
- Be careful not to tire yourself out before the match.
American English
- The kids tired quickly at the amusement park.
- I'm starting to tire of this repetitive work.
- Jogging five miles really tired me out.
adjective
British English
- It was a long and tiring journey back from Cornwall.
- She gave a tired sigh and put down her book.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am very tired. I want to sleep.
- The car has a flat tire. (US)
- Walking around the museum all day tired us out.
- You should check your tyre pressure regularly. (UK)
- The audience eventually tired of the speaker's repetitive jokes.
- Manufacturers are developing more eco-friendly tire materials.
- Her relentless optimism is a quality I never tire of admiring.
- The investigation into the tire failure revealed a structural defect.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TIREd person sitting on a car TIRE, too exhausted to change the flat one.
Conceptual Metaphor
ENERGY IS A FUEL/RESOURCE: 'I'm running out of steam.' INTEREST IS AN APPETITE: 'I've lost my taste for it.'
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse the verb 'tire' (уставать, надоедать) with the noun 'tire' (U.S.) / 'tyre' (UK) (шина). Russian 'тир' is a shooting gallery, unrelated.
- The phrase 'tire of' translates as 'надоедать' (to become bored with), not merely 'уставать' (to become physically tired).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I am tiring to do this.' Correct: 'I am getting tired *of doing* this.' or 'This work is tiring me out.'
- Spelling: Using 'tire' for the wheel in UK English or 'tyre' for the verb.
Practice
Quiz
In British English, what is the correct spelling for the rubber part of a wheel?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Tired' describes how you feel (I am tired). 'Tiring' describes the thing that causes the tiredness (It was a tiring day).
It is a regular verb: tire, tired, tired.
Yes, in the construction 'tire of something' (e.g., 'He tired of city life and moved to the country').
It's a historical spelling divergence. 'Tyre' became standard in the UK in the 19th century, while 'tire' (an older form) was retained in the US.