fire
[ fahyuh r ]
/ faɪər /
noun
a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove: Put the kettle on the fire.
flashing light; luminous appearance.
brilliance, as of a gem.
burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
liveliness of imagination.
fever or inflammation.
severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
a spark or sparks.
the discharge of firearms: enemy fire.
the effect of firing military weapons: to pour fire upon the enemy.
British.
a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
Literary.
a luminous object, as a star: heavenly fires.
verb (used with object), fired, fir·ing.
to set on fire.
to supply with fuel; attend to the fire of: They fired the boiler.
to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor.
to inspire.
to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
to discharge (a gun).
to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
to hurl; throw: to fire a stone through a window.
to dismiss from a job.
Veterinary Medicine.
to apply a heated iron to (the skin) in order to create a local inflammation of the superficial structures, with the intention of favorably affecting deeper inflammatory processes.
to drive out or away by or as by fire.
verb (used without object), fired, fir·ing.
to take fire; be kindled.
to glow as if on fire.
to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
to shoot, as a gun.
to discharge a gun: to fire at a fleeing enemy.
to hurl a projectile.
Music.
to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
(of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
Verb Phrases
fire away, Informal.
to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions: The reporters fired away at the president.
fire off,
- to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.): Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
- to write and send hurriedly: She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
Idioms for fire
between two fires,
under physical or verbal attack from two or more sides simultaneously: The senator is between two fires because of his stand on the bill.
build a fire under, Informal.
to cause or urge to take action, make a decision quickly, or work faster: If somebody doesn't build a fire under that committee, it will never reach a decision.
- Also catch on fire. to become ignited; burn: The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette.
- to create enthusiasm: His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
- to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
- to be undecided, postponed, or delayed: The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
- to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
- to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful: He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
- ignited; burning; afire.
- eager; ardent; zealous: They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
- to cause to burn; ignite.
- to excite; arouse; inflame: The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
- to become ignited; burn.
- to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal: Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
- under attack, especially by military forces.
- under censure or criticism: The school administration is under fire for its policies.
catch fire,
fight fire with fire,
to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
go through fire and water,
to brave any danger or endure any trial: He said he would go through fire and water to win her hand.
hang fire,
miss fire,
on fire,
play with fire,
to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter: He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
set fire to,
take fire,
under fire,
Origin of fire
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English
fȳr; cognate with Old Norse
fūrr, German
Feuer, Greek
pŷr (see
pyro-); (v.) Middle English
firen to kindle, inflame, derivative of the noun
OTHER WORDS FROM fire
fir·er, noun coun·ter·fire, noun, verb (used without object), coun·ter·fired, coun·ter·fir·ing. re·fire, verb, re·fired, re·fir·ing. un·fired, adjectiveWords nearby fire
fiqh,
fir,
firbank,
firbolg,
firdausi,
fire,
fire alarm,
fire ant,
fire apparatus,
fire appliance,
fire area
Example sentences from the Web for fire
But what is there more irresponsible than playing with the fire of an imagined civil war in the France of today?
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President |Pierre Assouline |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEASTLady Edith is so sad that her sadness nearly set the whole damned house on fire.
‘Downton Abbey’ Review: A Fire, Some Sex, and Sad, Sad Edith |Kevin Fallon |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEASTA fire that he insists is only picking up pace, according to top-secret intelligence briefings.
An F-35 was destroyed on takeoff earlier in the year when a design flaw in its Pratt & Whitney F135 engine sparked a fire.
On Christmas Day, sometime after dark, a hideous fire overtook the venue: 100 firefighters, 33 fire trucks, a four-alarm blaze.
The Fiery Death of Sotto Sotto, Toronto’s Celebrity Hotspot |Shinan Govani |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEASTShe laid Joy down in a corner of the ravine the furthest removed from the fire; she could not have carried her another inch.
Gypsy's Cousin Joy |Elizabeth Stuart PhelpsTo have a fire without a fire-engine is like being married at a registry-office.
Slip it carefully on a hot dish and serve the instant it comes from the fire.
The Story of Crisco |Marion Harris NeilI will give you what I have written, and if you choose to read it and do not like it, you can throw it into the fire.
The House of Martha |Frank R. StocktonShe started to pick busily, while Walter, taking the fish that had been cleaned, began to broil them over the fire.
The Motor Girls in the Mountains |Margaret Penrose
British Dictionary definitions for fire
fire
/ (faɪə) /
noun
the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
- a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
- (in combination)firewood; firelighter
a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
a device for heating a room, etc
something resembling a fire in light or brilliance
a diamond's fire
a flash or spark of or as if of fire
- the act of discharging weapons, artillery, etc
- the shells, etc, fired
a burst or rapid volley
a fire of questions
intense passion; ardour
liveliness, as of imagination, thought, etc
a burning sensation sometimes produced by drinking strong alcoholic liquor
fever and inflammation
a severe trial or torment (esp in the phrase go through fire and water)
catch fire
to ignite
draw someone's fire
to attract the criticism or censure of someone
hang fire
- to delay firing
- to delay or be delayed
no smoke without fire
the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
on fire
- in a state of ignition
- ardent or eager
- informal playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
open fire
to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
play with fire
to be involved in something risky
set fire to or set on fire British
- to ignite
- to arouse or excite
set the world on fire, British set the Thames on fire or Scot set the heather on fire informal
to cause a great sensation
under fire
being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
(modifier) astrology
of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
Compare earth (def. 10), air (def. 20), water (def. 12)
verb
to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
(tr) informal
to dismiss from employment
(tr) ceramics
to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
to kindle or be kindled; ignite
(tr)
to provide with fuel
oil fires the heating system
(intr)
to tend a fire
(tr)
to subject to heat
(tr)
to heat slowly so as to dry
(tr)
to arouse to strong emotion
to glow or cause to glow
(intr)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
(intr)
(of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
vet science another word for cauterize
(intr) Australian informal
(of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm
sentence substitute
a cry to warn others of a fire
the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc
Derived forms of fire
fireable, adjective fireless, adjective firer, nounWord Origin for fire
Old English
fӯr; related to Old Saxon
fiur, Old Norse
fūrr, Old High German
fūir, Greek
pur
Medical definitions for fire
fire
[ fīr ]
v.
To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.
Idioms and Phrases with fire
fire
In addition to the idioms beginning with fire
- fire away
- fire off
- fire on all cylinders
- fire up
also see:
- add fuel to the fire
- ball of fire
- baptism of fire
- catch fire
- caught in the cross-fire
- draw fire
- fat is in the fire
- fight fire with fire
- get on (like a house afire)
- hang fire
- hold one's fire
- hold someone's feet to the fire
- irons in the fire
- light a fire under
- line of fire
- miss fire
- no smoke without fire
- on fire
- open fire
- out of the frying pan into the fire
- play with fire
- set on fire
- set the world on fire
- spread like wildfire
- trial by fire
- under fire
- where's the fire
Also see underfiring.