Literal Usage:
* The dirge played at the funeral was so mournful it brought tears to everyone's eyes.
* The wind whistled a dirge through the bare branches of the trees.
Figurative Usage:
* The news of the company's closure cast a dirge over the entire town.
* His heart beat a dirge as he waited for the doctor's diagnosis.
* The slow, mournful melody of the violin was a dirge for the lost innocence of childhood.
Note:
* A "dirge" is typically a slow, mournful song or piece of music, often played at funerals or in other solemn occasions.
* It can also be used figuratively to describe anything that evokes a feeling of sadness or gloom.