Idioms for 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, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fire

downsize fire lay off rightsize terminate

British Dictionary definitions for hang fire

fire
/ (faɪə) /

noun

verb

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, noun

Word Origin for fire

Old English fӯr; related to Old Saxon fiur, Old Norse fūrr, Old High German fūir, Greek pur

Medical definitions for hang fire

fire
[ fīr ]

v.

To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.

Idioms and Phrases with hang fire (1 of 2)

hang fire

Delay, as in The advertising campaign is hanging fire until they decide how much to spend on it. This expression originally referred to the 17th-century flintlock musket, where the priming powder ignited but often failed to explode the main charge, a result called hanging fire. [c. 1800]

Idioms and Phrases with hang fire (2 of 2)

fire