Definition of fire - WordReference.com Dictionary

WordReference.com English Dictionary

fire:

in Spanish | in French | in Italian
in context | images

Listen:

US - UK

Adapted From: WordNet 2.0 Copyright 2003 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

fire
A	noun
	1	fire, firing
			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"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚activity ╚operation; military operation ╚attack; onslaught; onset; onrush ╚fire, firing ╚counterpreparation fire ╚counterfire ╚concentrated fire; massed fire ╚cover; covering fire ╚call fire ╚fusillade; salvo; volley; burst ╚broadside ╚barrage; barrage fire; battery; bombardment; shelling ╚antiaircraft fire
	2	fire
			a fireplace in which a fire is burning; "they sat by the fire and talked"
		Category Tree: entity ╚object; physical object ╚artifact; artefact ╚enclosure ╚recess; niche ╚fireplace; hearth; open fireplace ╚fire ╚cookfire
	3	fire, attack, flak, flack, blast
			intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"
		Category Tree: abstraction ╚relation ╚social relation ╚communication ╚message; content; subject matter; substance ╚disapproval ╚criticism; unfavorable judgment ╚fire, attack, flak, flack, blast
	4	fire
			the event of something burning (often destructive); "they lost everything in the fire"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚fire ╚smudge ╚smoulder ╚grassfire ╚forest fire ╚conflagration; inferno ╚campfire ╚brush fire ╚bonfire; balefire
	5	fire
			a severe trial; "he went through fire and damnation"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚trouble ╚affliction ╚trial; tribulation; visitation ╚fire
	6	ardor, ardour, fervor, fervour, fervency, fire, fervidness
			feelings of great warmth and intensity; "he spoke with great ardor"
		Category Tree: psychological feature ╚feeling ╚passion; passionateness ╚ardor, ardour, fervor, fervour, fervency, fire, fervidness ╚zeal
	7	fire, flame, flaming
			the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke; "fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries"
		Category Tree: phenomenon ╚process ╚natural process; natural action; action; activity ╚chemical process; chemical change; chemical action ╚chemical reaction; reaction ╚oxidation; oxidization; oxidisation ╚combustion; burning ╚fire, flame, flaming ╚flare ╚blaze; blazing
	8	fire
			once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
		Category Tree: entity ╚substance; matter ╚element ╚fire
B	verb
	1	fire
			bake in a kiln so as to harden; "fire pottery"
		Category Tree: change ╚change integrity ╚cook ╚bake ╚fire
	2	burn, fire, burn down
			destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries"
		Category Tree: destroy; ruin ╚burn, fire, burn down ╚scorch ╚torch ╚cremate ╚backfire
	3	fire, discharge
			cause to go off; "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet"

	4	fire, discharge, go off
			go off or discharge; "The gun fired"

	5	open fire, fire
			start firing a weapon
		Category Tree: fire; discharge ╚shoot ╚open fire, fire
	6	arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke
			call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy"
		Category Tree: make; create ╚arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke ╚excite ╚stimulate; shake; shake up; excite; stir ╚inflame; stir up; wake; ignite; heat; fire up ╚prick ╚infatuate ╚rekindle ╚draw ╚invite; ask for ╚strike a chord; touch a chord
	7	fire
			drive out or away by or as if by fire; "The soldiers were fired"; "Surrender fires the cold skepticism"
		Category Tree: move; displace ╚chase away; drive out; turn back; drive away; dispel; drive off; run off ╚fire
	8	fuel, fire
			provide with fuel; "Oil fires the furnace"
		Category Tree: transfer ╚give ╚supply; provide; render; furnish ╚fuel, fire
	9	fire, give notice, can, dismiss, give the axe, send away, sack, force out, give the sack, terminate
			terminate the employment of; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers"
		Category Tree: remove ╚fire, give notice, can, dismiss, give the axe, send away, sack, force out, give the sack, terminate ╚dismiss; send packing; send away; drop ╚squeeze out ╚furlough; lay off ╚clean out ╚pension off ╚retire

Look up "fire" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "fire" at dictionary.com

Forum discussions with the word(s) 'fire' in the title:

on fire
to get on like a house on fire
"putting fire to start a hot conversation"
fire or fires
Fire fighting
"Where's the fire?"
"a straw fire"
Liar Liar, pants on fire
fire?
"extinguish the fire "
alternative expressions for "to fire"
in the event of unanticipated fire or earthquakes
dancing around the fire to the accompaniment of music
a building on fire / a burning building?
Donâ€™t let the fire rush to your head
It ought to / can be on fire...?
In case of fire
Catch A Fire
marsh-fire
Putting out the fire/filling out the holes
The fire glowing in her eyes at the moment she raised the revolver seemed to kindle him
The fire extended to the upstairs apartment...
roast somebody on a slow fire
They are HAVING A fire in THE fireplace.
fire fight
books as having been on fire
my lungs are on fire
breathing fire
to stop the fire
sniper fire
more...
For any questions about this word or definition:

Ask in the forums yourself.
Visit the English Only Forum.