dire wolf
- noun
- /ˈdaɪər wʊlf/
- Informal
:
lobo feroz
- The CEO is a real dire wolf in the boardroom.
Examples
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He transformed from a shy intern into a dire wolf in the courtroom.
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Her reputation as a dire wolf in negotiations made others cautious around her.
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In the world of business, you have to be a dire wolf to survive the competition.
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Many consider him a dire wolf when it comes to negotiations.
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In the world of business, you have to be a dire wolf to survive the competition.
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Many consider him a dire wolf when it comes to negotiations.
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Her reputation as a dire wolf in negotiations made others cautious around her.
Synonyms
152
6.5
A person who is very cruel and shows no pity
102
8.5
A person who uses others to get money or power
3
7.9
A person who acts violently and without control
3
4.1
A person who fights bravely and with great force in battle
A person who behaves cruelly and violently and is said to be like an animal
How Dangerous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'dire' (very serious/dreadful) modifies 'wolf' (the animal), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer a very dangerous or fearsome wolf, as used in fantasy. This compositional pattern is common cross‑linguistically and requires no idiomatic knowledge, making the meaning predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Dire wolf is used for a very fierce person because people compare someone to the original animal. The words dire and wolf create the picture of a terrifying hunter, so calling someone a dire wolf means they are 'ruthless' or 'dangerous'.