fire (f r)n.1. a. A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance. b. Burning fuel or other material: a cooking fire; a forest fire. 2. a. Burning intensity of feeling; ardor. See Synonyms at passion. b. Enthusiasm. 3. Luminosity or brilliance, as of a cut and polished gemstone. 4. Liveliness and vivacity of imagination; brilliance. 5. A severe test; a trial or torment. 6. A fever or bodily inflammation. 7. a. The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon. b. The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body. c. Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire. 8. Intense, repeated attack or criticism: answered the fire from her political critics. v. fired, fir·ing, fires v.tr.1. a. To cause to burn; ignite. b. To light (something) up as if by fire: The morning sun fired the tops of the trees. 2. a. To add fuel to (something burning). b. To maintain or fuel a fire in. c. To start (a fuel-burning engine). Often used with up. 3. a. To bake in a kiln: fire pottery. b. To dry by heating. 4. To arouse the emotions of; make enthusiastic or ardent. Often used with up: warriors who were fired by patriotism. 5. a. To discharge (a firearm, for example). b. To detonate (an explosive). 6. a. To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile). b. Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter. c. To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator. 7. Games To score (a number) in a game or contest. 8. To discharge from a position; dismiss. See Synonyms at dismiss. v.intr.1. To become ignited; flame up. 2. a. To become excited or ardent. b. To become angry or annoyed. 3. To tend a fire. 4. a. To shoot a weapon: aimed and fired at the target. b. To detonate an explosive. c. To ignite fuel, as in an engine. 5. Informal To project or hurl a missile: The pitcher wound up and fired. 6. Physiology To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron. 7. To become yellowed or brown before reaching maturity, as grain. Phrasal Verbs: fire away Informal To start to talk or ask questions. fire off1. To utter or ask rapidly. 2. To write and send (a letter, for example) in haste. Idioms: between two fires Being attacked from two sources or sides simultaneously. on fire1. Ignited; ablaze. 2. Filled with enthusiasm or excitement. start/light/build a fire under Slang To urge or goad to action. under fire1. Exposed or subjected to enemy attack. 2. Exposed or subjected to critical attack or censure: an official who was under fire for mismanagement.
[Middle English fir, from Old English f r; see pa w in Indo-European roots.]
fire a·ble adj. firer n. Word History: Primitive Indo-European had pairs of words for some very common things, such as water or fire. Typically, one word in the pair was active, animate, and personified; the other, impersonal and neuter in grammatical gender. In the case of the pair of words for "fire," English has descendants of both, one inherited directly from Germanic, the other borrowed from Latin. Our word fire goes back to the neuter member of the pair. In Old English "fire" was fr, from Germanic *f r. The Indo-European form behind *fr is *pr, whence also the Greek neuter noun pr, the source of the prefix pyro-. The other Indo-European word for fire appears in ignite, which is derived from the Latin word for fire, ignis, from Indo-European *egnis. The Russian word for fire, ogon' (stem form ogn-), and the Sanskrit agni-, "fire" (deified as Agni, the god of fire), also come from *egnis, the active, animate, and personified word for fire. |
fire Noun 1. the state of combustion producing heat, flames, and often smoke 2. Brit burning coal or wood, esp. in a hearth to heat a room 3. a destructive uncontrolled burning that destroys building, crops, etc. 4. an electric or gas device for heating a room 5. the act of shooting weapons 6. passion and enthusiasm: her questions brought new fire to the debate 7. catch fire to start burning 8. on fire a. burning b. ardent or eager 9. open fire to start firing a gun, artillery, etc. 10. play with fire to be involved in something risky 11. set fire to or set on fire a. to ignite b. to arouse or excite 12. under fire being attacked, such as by weapons or by harsh criticism Verb [firing, fired] 1. to discharge (a firearm) 2. to detonate (an explosive device) 3. Informal to dismiss from employment 4. to ask a lot of questions quickly in succession 5. Ceramics to bake in a kiln to harden the clay 6. to kindle or be kindled 7. (of an internal-combustion engine) to produce an electrical spark which causes the fuel to burn and the engine to start 8. to provide with fuel 9. to arouse to strong emotion: he fired his team mates with enthusiasm [Old English fȳr]
Firea person who destroys property by fire, for revenge, insurance, etc. Obsolete, a large-scale fire or conflagration. the deliberate destruction of property by fire; arson. — incendiary, n., adj. Obsolete Chemistry. a hypothetical ingredient thought to be released during combustion. — phlogistic, adj. Geology. produced by the action of heat, hot solutions, etc. — pyrogenic, adj. the process of burning designs on wood or leather with a heated tool. — pyrograph, pyrographer, n. — pyrographic, adj. a fire-worshiper. the worship of fire. a form of divination involving fire or flames. a persistent compulsion to start fires. a love of fire. an abnormal fear of fire. a form of divination involving the examination of the ashes remaining after a sacrifice. Rare. the act or process of burning or searing. — ustorious, ustulate, adj. an early type of match that was difficult to extinguish.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  fire - the event of something burning (often destructive); "they lost everything in the fire"backfire - a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path balefire, bonfire - a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration brush fire - an uncontrolled fire that consumes brush and shrubs and bushes campfire - a small outdoor fire for warmth or cooking (as at a camp) smolder, smoulder - a fire that burns with thick smoke but no flame; "the smoulder suddenly became a blaze" smudge - a smoky fire to drive away insects | | 2. |  fire - the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy; "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire"barrage fire, shelling, barrage, bombardment, battery - the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target; "they laid down a barrage in front of the advancing troops"; "the shelling went on for hours without pausing" broadside - the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship fusillade, volley, burst, salvo - rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms; "our fusillade from the left flank caught them by surprise" call fire - fire delivered on a specific target in response to a request from the supported unit covering fire, cover - fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations; "artillery provided covering fire for the withdrawal" concentrated fire, massed fire - fire from two or more weapons directed at a single target or area (as fire by batteries of two or more warships) counterfire - fire intended to neutralize or destroy enemy weapons crossfire - fire from two or more points so that the lines of fire cross destruction fire - fire delivered for the sole purpose of destroying material objects direct fire - fire delivered on a target that is visible to the person aiming it grazing fire - fire approximately parallel to the ground; the center of the cone of fire does rise above 1 meter from the ground harassing fire - fire designed to disturb the rest of enemy troops and to curtail movement and to lower enemy morale indirect fire - fire delivered on a target that is not itself used as the point of aim for the weapons interdiction fire - fire directed to an area to prevent the enemy from using that area neutralization fire - fire that is delivered in order to render the target ineffective or unusable observed fire - fire for which the point of impact (the burst) can be seen by an observer; fire can be adjusted on the basis of the observations radar fire - gunfire aimed a target that is being tracked by radar registration fire - fire delivered to obtain accurate data for subsequent effective engagement of targets searching fire - fire distributed in depth by successive changes in the elevation of the gun supporting fire - fire delivered by supporting units to protect or assist a unit in combat suppressive fire - fire on or about a weapon system to degrade its performance below what is needed to fulfill its mission objectives unobserved fire - fire for which the point of impact (the bursts) cannot be observed | | 3. |  fire - the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke; "fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries"blaze, blazing - a strong flame that burns brightly; "the blaze spread rapidly" combustion, burning - a process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light flare - a sudden burst of flame ignition - the process of initiating combustion or catching fire | | 4. | fire - a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning; "they sat by the fire and talked"fireplace, hearth, open fireplace - an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built; "the fireplace was so large you could walk inside it"; "he laid a fire in the hearth and lit it"; "the hearth was black with the charcoal of many fires" | | 5. | fire - once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)element - one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe; "the alchemists believed that there were four elements" | | 6. | fire - feelings of great warmth and intensity; "he spoke with great ardor"zeal - excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end; "he had an absolute zeal for litigation" | | 7. | fire - fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking; "put the kettle on the fire"; "barbecue over an open fire"fuel - a substance that can be consumed to produce energy; "more fuel is needed during the winter months"; "they developed alternative fuels for aircraft" | | 8. | fire - a severe trial; "he went through fire and damnation"tribulation, visitation, trial - an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event; "his mother-in-law's visits were a great trial for him"; "life is full of tribulations"; "a visitation of the plague" | | 9. | fire - intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"criticism, unfavorable judgment - disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings; "the senator received severe criticism from his opponent" | | Verb | 1. | fire - start firing a weaponshoot, blast - fire a shot; "the gunman blasted away" | | 2. | fire - cause to go off; "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet"pop - fire a weapon with a loud explosive noise; "The soldiers were popping" shoot, blast - fire a shot; "the gunman blasted away" | | 3. | fire - bake in a kiln so as to harden; "fire pottery"cookery, cooking, preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife" bake - cook and make edible by putting in a hot oven; "bake the potatoes" | | 4. | fire - terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers"retire - make (someone) retire; "The director was retired after the scandal" pension off - let go from employment with an attractive pension; "The director was pensioned off when he got senile" clean out - force out; "The new boss cleaned out the lazy workers" furlough, lay off - dismiss, usually for economic reasons; "She was laid off together with hundreds of other workers when the company downsized" squeeze out - force out; "Some employees were squeezed out by the recent budget cuts" remove - remove from a position or an office hire, employ, engage - engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?" | | 5. | fire - go off or discharge; "The gun fired" | | 6. | fire - drive out or away by or as if by fire; "The soldiers were fired"; "Surrender fires the cold skepticism" | | 7. | fire - call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy"create, make - make or cause to be or to become; "make a mess in one's office"; "create a furor" touch a chord, strike a chord - evoke a reaction, response, or emotion; "this writer strikes a chord with young women"; "The storyteller touched a chord" ask for, invite - increase the likelihood of; "ask for trouble"; "invite criticism" draw - elicit responses, such as objections, criticism, applause, etc.; "The President's comments drew sharp criticism from the Republicans"; "The comedian drew a lot of laughter" rekindle - arouse again; "rekindle hopes"; "rekindle her love" infatuate - arouse unreasoning love or passion in and cause to behave in an irrational way; "His new car has infatuated him"; "love has infatuated her" prick - to cause a sharp emotional pain; "The thought of her unhappiness pricked his conscience" fire up, stir up, wake, heat, ignite, inflame - arouse or excite feelings and passions; "The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor"; "The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world"; "Wake old feelings of hatred" excite - arouse or elicit a feeling anger - make angry; "The news angered him" shame - cause to be ashamed spite, wound, bruise, injure, offend, hurt - hurt the feelings of; "She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests"; "This remark really bruised my ego" interest - excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of | | 8. | fire - destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries"burn, combust - undergo combustion; "Maple wood burns well" incinerate, burn - cause to undergo combustion; "burn garbage"; "The car burns only Diesel oil" backfire - set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire cremate - reduce to ashes; "Cremate a corpse" torch - burn maliciously, as by arson; "The madman torched the barns" scorch - destroy completely by or as if by fire; "The wildfire scorched the forest and several homes"; "the invaders scorched the land" ruin, destroy - destroy completely; damage irreparably; "You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!"; "The tears ruined her make-up" | | 9. | fire - provide with fuel; "Oil fires the furnace" |
fire noun 2. passion, force, light, energy, heat, spirit, enthusiasm, excitement, dash, intensity, sparkle, life, vitality, animation, vigour, zeal, splendour, verve, fervour, eagerness, dynamism, lustre, radiance, virtuosity, élan, ardour, brio, vivacity, impetuosity, burning passion, scintillation, fervency, pizzazz or pizazz ( informal) noun 3. bombardment, shooting, firing, shelling, hail, volley, barrage, gunfire, sniping, flak, salvo, fusillade, cannonade verb 4. let off, shoot, launch, shell, loose, set off, discharge, hurl, eject, detonate, let loose ( informal) touch off verb 6. ( Informal) dismiss, sack ( informal) get rid of, discharge, lay off, make redundant, cashier, give notice, show the door, give the boot ( slang) kiss off ( slang), chiefly U.S., Canad. give the push, give the bullet Brit. ( slang) give marching orders, give someone their cards, give the sack to ( informal) kennet Austral. ( slang) jeff Austral. ( slang) verb 7. inspire, excite, stir, stimulate, motivate, irritate, arouse, awaken, animate, rouse, stir up, quicken, inflame, incite, electrify, enliven, spur on, galvanize, inspirit, impassion verb 8. set fire to, torch, ignite, set on fire, kindle, set alight, set ablaze, put a match to, set aflame, enkindle, light >> on fire 9. burning, flaming, blazing, alight, ablaze, in flames, aflame, fiery
1. The command given to discharge a weapon(s). 2. To detonate the main explosive charge by means of a firing system. See also barrage fire; call fire; counterfire; counterpreparation fire; covering fire; destruction fire; direct fire; direct supporting fire; distributed fire; grazing fire; harassing fire; indirect fire; neutralization fire; observed fire; preparation fire; radar fire; registration fire; scheduled fire; searching fire; supporting fire; suppressive fire.
 Translations fire [ˈfaɪəʳ] n → fuego; vi → encenderse; on fire → ardiendo, en llamas; to be on fire → estar ardiendo; to catch fire → prenderse fuego;
 fire [ˈfaɪəʳ] n → feu m; vt (discharge); to set fire to sth, set sth on fire → mettre le feu à qch;
 fire [ˈfaɪəʳ] n → Feuer nt; ( in hearth) → (Kamin)feuer nt; ( accidental fire) → Brand m (enthusiasm) → befeuern; to set fire to sth, set sth on fire → etw anzünden; insured against fire → feuerversichert; electric/gas fire → Elektro-/Gasofen m;
 fire [faɪəʳ] n → fuoco; incendioon fire → in fiamme; electric/gas fire → stufa elettrica/a gas;
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