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1. Dictionary

   fire

   /ˈfʌɪə/

   noun

   • 1. a process in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke; combustion or burning: "his house was destroyed by fire"
   • ▪ a destructive burning of something: "a fire at a hotel" Similar blazeconflagrationinfernoholocaustfirestormflamesburningcombustion
   • ▪ a collection of fuel, especially coal or wood, burnt in a controlled way to provide heat or a means for cooking: "we had a bath in a tin tub by the fire"
   • ▪ a domestic heating appliance that uses electricity or gas as fuel: British "she was freezing and keeping the fire low to save money" Similar heaterradiatorconvector
   • ▪ one of the four elements in ancient and medieval philosophy and in astrology (considered essential to the nature of the signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius): "a fire sign"
   • 2. a burning sensation: "the whisky lit a fire in the back of his throat"
   • ▪ fervent or passionate emotion or enthusiasm: "the fire of their religious conviction" Similar dynamismenergyvigouranimationvitalityvibrancyexuberanceebulliencezestelanpassionardourimpetuosityintensityzealspiritlifelivelinessvervevivacityvivaciousnesssparklescintillationdashenthusiasmeagernessgustofervourfervencyforcepotencyvehemenceinspirationimaginationcreativityinventivenessflairinformal:pepvimzinggoget-up-and-gooomphpizzazz
   • ▪ a glowing or luminous quality: literary "their soft smiles light the air like a star's fire"
   • 3. the shooting of projectiles from weapons, especially bullets from guns: "a burst of machine-gun fire" Similar gunfirefiringsnipingflakbombardmentfusilladevolleybarragesalvocannonade
   • ▪ strong criticism or antagonism: "he directed his fire against policies promoting American capital flight" Similar criticismcensurecondemnationcastigationdenunciationopprobriumadmonishmentsvituperationscoldingchidingdisapprovalhostilityantagonismanimosityill willenmityinformal:flakbrickbatsknocksraps

   verb

   • 1. discharge a gun or other weapon in order to propel (a bullet or projectile): "he fired a shot at the retreating prisoners" Similar launchshootdischargeejecthurlthrowsend flyinglet fly withloose offshysendinformal:popshootdischargelet offtriggerset offblastlet fly with
   • ▪ discharge (a gun or other weapon): "another gang fired a pistol through the window of a hostel"
   • ▪ (of a gun) be discharged: "the first gun fired"
   • ▪ (of a nerve or muscle cell) generate an impulse or contraction: "the signal is generated by neurons firing in response to the visual stimulus"
   • ▪ direct (questions or statements, especially unwelcome ones) towards someone in rapid succession: "they fired questions at me for what seemed like ages"
   • ▪ send a message aggressively: "he fired off a letter informing her that he regarded the matter with the utmost seriousness"
   • 2. dismiss (an employee) from a job: informal "I had to fire men who've been with me for years" Similar dismissdischargegive someone their noticelay offlet gothrow outget rid ofoustdeposemake redundantcashierinformal:sackgive the sack toaxekick outboot outgive someone the bootgive someone the bulletgive someone the (old) heave-hogive someone the pushgive someone their marching ordersshow someone the doorgive someone their cardsgive someone the elbow
   • 3. supply (a furnace, engine, etc.) with fuel: "liquefied petroleum gas can fire room heaters"
   • ▪ (of an internal combustion engine) undergo ignition of its fuel when started: "the engine fired and she pushed her foot down on the accelerator" Similar ignitestartcatchget startedget going
   • ▪ start (an engine or other device): "with a flick of his wrist he fired up the chainsaw"
   • ▪ set fire to: archaic "I fired the straw"
   • 4. stimulate or excite (the imagination or an emotion): "India fired my imagination" Similar stimulatestir upexciteenlivenawakenarouserousedraw/call forthbring outengenderevokeinflameput/breathe life intoanimateinspiremotivatequickenincitedriveimpelspur ongalvanizeelectrifytriggerimpassionOpposite deaden
   • ▪ fill (someone) with enthusiasm: "he was fired up for last season's FA Cup final"
   • ▪ show sudden anger: archaic "If I were to hear anyone speak slightingly of you, I should fire up in a moment"
   • 5. bake or dry (pottery, bricks, etc.) in a kiln: "methane gas is being used to fire bricks at a nearby factory"

   Word Origin Old Englishfȳr (noun), fȳrian ‘supply with material for a fire’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer.

   Derivatives

   • 1. fireless adjective
   • 2. firer noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • F

     4

   • I

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

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2. People also ask

   What does fire mean?

   • Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fire Love words? Need even more definitions? Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! The meaning of FIRE is the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame, and heat.

   Fire Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fire

   See all results for this question

   What does fire mean in physics?

   • Fire is the hot, bright flames produced by things that are burning. They saw a big flash and a huge ball of fire reaching hundreds of feet into the sky. Many students were trapped by smoke and fire on an upper floor. Fire or a fire is an occurrence of uncontrolled burning which destroys buildings, forests, or other things.

   FIRE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/fire

   See all results for this question

   Is fire a noun or a verb?

   • As a verb, fire commonly means to discharge a gun or to dismiss someone from a job. Fire has many other, more specific meanings as both a noun and a verb, and most of them are related in some way to literal fire. Example: The boss fired Dave after he fired a starter pistol inside the office, causing the ceiling to catch on fire.

   FIRE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com/browse/fire

   See all results for this question

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › fireFire Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › fire

   • Cached

   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word fire as a noun and a verb, with synonyms, examples, and etymology. Find out how to say fire in different contexts and phrases, such as on fire, under fire, and fire alarm.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishFIRE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of fire as a noun and a verb in English, with different senses and usage. Find out how to use fire in phrases, idioms, and phrasal verbs.

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6. www.dictionary.com › browse › fireFIRE Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › fire

   • Cached

   Fire is a noun that refers to the state, process, or instance of combustion, or a burning mass of material. It can also be a verb that means to set on fire, to discharge a weapon, or to dismiss someone.

7. en.wikipedia.org › wiki › FireFire - Wikipedia

   en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Fire

   • Cached

   Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Learn about the fossil record, human control, and ecological and social impacts of fire from this comprehensive encyclopedia article.

8. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitionfire noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning, pronunciation and usage of the word fire in English. Find out the different meanings of fire as a noun, such as something burning, a source of heat, a weapon, a criticism or an emotion.

9. www.britannica.com › dictionary › fireFire Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

   www.britannica.com › dictionary › fire

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word fire, from the light and heat of burning to the shooting of weapons to the expression of emotion. See examples, synonyms, and related terms for fire.

10. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishFIRE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

    www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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    Learn the various meanings and uses of the word fire, from burning, heat, or enthusiasm to shooting, attacking, or dismissal. See examples, synonyms, and phrasal verbs related to fire.