Definition of (fire) in English English dictionary
- Agni
- Chinese fire drill
- A prank performed while stopped in a car at a red-light; each passenger (including the driver) shouts "Chinese fire drill", exits the vehicle, runs at least once around it, then re-enters, taking a different seat
- Chinese fire drill
- A silly, pointless exercise
- Chinese fire drills
- plural form of Chinese fire drill
- Greek fire
- A flammable substance first used by the Greeks of Constantinople to set fire to enemy ships, buildings etc
There is yet spirit in him,” said Malvoisin apart to Mont–Fitchet, “were it well directed — but, like the Greek fire, it burns whatever approaches it.”.
- Ring of Fire
- An area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity, around the Pacific Ocean
- Saint Anthony's fire
- Any of several inflammatory conditions of the skin, including erysipelas, herpes zoster, and ergotism
- Saint Elmo's fire
- Alternative spelling of St. Elmo's fire
- St. Anthony's fire
- A disease characterised by gangrene and a burning sensation in the hands and feet, now usually identified with ergotism
- St. Elmo's fire
- An electrical discharge, or corona, seen around pointed objects, caused by ionization of the atmosphere during storms
- add fuel to fire
- To inflame a situation, to make a situation worse
and that he ſhould never ceaſe to lament the loſs of me, they, to add fuel to fire, under a feigned ſolicitude to alleviate his majeſty's diſquiet, began to praiſe with the utmoſt ardour, my great abilities.
- add fuel to the fire
- To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation
The first consul continued to add fuel to the fire.
- all-fire
- Extreme or intense in degree (used to express mild disapproval or reproof)
If you were not in such an all-fire hurry to get out of there, you would not have forgotten your purse.
- all-fire
- To an intense degree (used to express mild disapproval or reproof)
If she's so all-fire lonely, why doesn't she ever leave her dorm room and actually meet people?.
- back fire
- a small, controlled fire set in the path of a larger uncontrolled fire, in order to limit the spread of the large fire by removing its fuel
- ball of fire
- A person who is especially hard-working, high-achieving, ambitious, or active
He really knows how to make a woman feel good. He's a ball of fire in bed..
- baptism by fire
- A rite of passage through the survival or success of a crisis
The new folks really get put through a baptism by fire, to start doing a stressful job with so little training.
- baptism by fire
- A change in initial attitude or ideals through a traumatic situation
- baptism by fire
- A trying ordeal that was not experienced before
- baptism of fire
- The first experience of a severe ordeal, especially a first experience of military combat
Having to deal with a bomb scare on his first day was a real baptism of fire for John.
- baptisms by fire
- plural form of baptism by fire
- baptisms of fire
- plural form of baptism of fire
- bone fire
- Fires lit with bones instead of wood, so that when livestock were driven between two such fires the acrid smoke drove off parasites
- build a fire under
- Alternative form of light a fire under
- bush fire
- A fire, often large, that consumes a woodland
Australia has always been prone to bush fires due to its woody landscape.
- catch fire
- Become engulfed with flames
- catches fire
- Third-person singular simple present indicative form of catch fire
- catching fire
- Present participle of catch fire
- caught fire
- Simple past tense and past participle of catch fire
- co-fire
- To fire (different types of fuel) together
At present, co-firing offers the best opportunities for market penetration of biomass.
- dry fire
- To discharge a weapon without ammunition in the chamber
Rob finished cleaning his empty gun then pointed it at an imaginary target and dry fired.
- dry-fire
- Alternative form of dry fire
- electric fire
- A fire, stove or heater powered by electricity
- field of fire
- The area that a projectile weapon (or group of weapons) can reach from a given position
- fields of fire
- plural form of field of fire
- fight fire with fire
- To respond to an attack with a similar or identical method
- fire
- To shoot a gun, a cannon or a similar weapon
His nail gun fired about twenty roofing nails a minute.
- fire
- Something that has produced or is capable of producing this chemical reaction, such as a campfire
We sat around the fire singing songs and telling stories.
- fire
- A (usually self-sustaining) chemical reaction involving the bonding of oxygen with carbon or other fuel, with the production of heat and the presence of flame or smouldering
- fire
- To cause an action potential in a cell
When a neuron fires, it transmits information.
- fire
- To shoot; to attempt to score a goal
- fire
- One of the five basic elements (see Wikipedia article on the Classical elements)
- fire
- The, often accidental, occurrence of fire in a certain place leading to its full or partial destruction
During hot and dry summers many fires in forests are caused by regardlessly discarded cigarette butts.
- fire
- The elements necessary to start a fire
The fire was laid and needed to be lit.
- fire
- To terminate the employment contract of an employee, especially for cause (such as misconduct or poor performance)
She should fire the employee who stole from the company.
- fire
- To heat without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc
They fire the wood to make it easier to put a point on the end.
- fire
- To forcibly direct (something)
He answered the questions the reporters fired at him.
- fire
- A button (of a joypad, joystick or similar device) whose only or main current function is that when it is pressed causes a video game character to fire a weapon
- fire
- To drive away by setting a fire
- fire
- The in-flight bullets or other projectiles shot from a gun
The fire from the enemy guns kept us from attacking.
- fire
- One of the four basic elements
- fire
- A heater or stove used in place of a real fire (such as an electric fire)
- fire
- To set (something) on fire
It was long a question of debate, whether the burning of the South Side ghetto was accidental, or whether it was done by the Mercenaries; but it is definitely settled now that the ghetto was fired by the Mercenaries under orders from their chiefs.
- fire
- To shoot (a device that launches a projectile or a pulse of stream of something)
He fired his radar gun at passing cars.
- fire air
- oxygen
- fire alarm
- An emergency response to a fire by the fire department with manpower and equipment
- fire alarm
- The sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
- fire alarm
- An electromechanical or electronic bell, klaxon, chime, horn, speaker, strobe light or other device which warns people in a building of a possible fire or other condition requiring evacuation
- fire alarm horn
- Formerly, a siren used to alert a town or neighborhood of fire
- fire alarm horn
- A horn on a fire alarm that sounds in case of fire, either automatically when the system detects fire or manually when the alarm is pulled, to alert the occupants of a building or complex of the hazard
- fire alarm horns
- plural form of fire alarm horn
- fire alarms
- plural form of fire alarm
- fire and brimstone
- The traditional punishments of Hell
- fire and brimstone
- Referencing the power or wrath of God
That preacher gave a real fire and brimstone sermon!.
- fire and brimstone
- Stereotypical descriptive for a charismatic clergyman who stresses the power or wrath of God, literal interpretation of the Bible and traditional punishments of Hell
The fire-and-brimstone preacher gave the city council a severe tongue-lashing after they voted on a zoning ordinance allowing a new strip club to open.
- fire and forget
- missile guidance system which does not require further control after launch, and can hit its target without the launcher being in line of sight of the target
- fire ant
- Any of several red or yellow North American ants, of the genus Solenopsis, that can inflict a harsh sting
- fire ants
- plural form of fire ant
- fire at will
- A command that allows troops to use weapons at their discretion and choose their own targets
- fire away
- To begin shooting at an enemy
- fire away
- To begin to talk or present information quickly
- fire axe
- A special type of axe used by firefighters, typically featuring a pick-shaped pointed poll (area of the head opposite the cutting edge) and in a vivid color to make it easily visible during an emergency
- fire axes
- plural form of fire axe
- fire blanket
- A large piece of fireproof or fire resistant material, used exclusively to cover and extinguish a small fire
- fire blight
- a bacterial plant disease that mainly affects apples, pears and some other members of the Rosaceae family
- fire blights
- plural form of fire blight
- fire boss
- A person in charge of ascertaining the safety of a mine (excavation)
- fire bosses
- plural form of fire boss
- fire box
- An enclosed hearth with hatch for refueling that is attached to or built into a boiler that supplies steam for mechanical power
The brakeman had to help the fireman shovel coal into the firebox as the engineer coaxed his locomotive up grade.
- fire box
- The internal hearth of a furnace, stove, or heater
- fire box
- The hearth of an outdoor grill
When the bottom of the grill firebox burned through, everybody ran over and stomped embers too keep the picnic shelter from catching fire.
- fire box
- The hearth of a metal-forging shop; the forge of a smithy
- fire brick
- Alternative form of firebrick
- fire brick
- A bright red colour
fire brick colour:.
- fire brick
- Of a bright red colour
- fire bricks
- plural form of fire brick
- fire brigade
- An organization, often part of a local government, whose purpose is preventing and putting out fires
- fire brigade
- A group of people within a corporation or industrial site, organized for the purpose of putting out fires, usually in addition to their normal job
- fire brigades
- plural form of fire brigade
- fire button
- A button on a joystick or joypad that corresponds to the action of firing but often represents other in-game actions
You launch him into the air with a quick press on the fire button, trying to pass over bombs as you fly.
- fire buttons
- plural form of fire button
- fire chief
- A leader of a fire station; an officer in charge of firemen and fighting fires
- fire chiefs
- plural form of fire chief
- fire clay
- a type of clay that is able to withstand intense heat; used to make firebricks, crucibles, and other ceramics
- fire code
- A set of building and property regulations designed to establish a mandatory standard for a building's ability to resist the start and spread of a fire as well as facilitating the prompt and safe evacuation of the occupants
- fire company
- A single emergency response unit and its personnel within a fire department
- fire company
- An organization whose purpose is to extinguish fires
- fire dancer
- A person who incorporates fire into a dance
- fire department
- An organization, often part of a local government whose purpose is preventing and putting out fires. May provide other emergency services as well
- fire departments
- plural form of fire department
- fire dog
- Bronze Age artifact used in worshipping either bulls or the moon, or as a holder for wooden logs to be used in a fire altar
- fire dogs
- The metal frame in a fireplace, used to hold the logs, or to support the poker and other tools
- fire door
- A fireproof door designed to stop fires spreading through buildings
- fire drill
- A rod which is rotated on a flat surface like a drill until it is hot enough to start a fire
- fire drill
- any chaotic, unexpected activity. (With the dropping of Chinese the phrase has also often lost its pejorative meaning of pointless and unproductive. In this way, fire drill is often used in the same idiomatic way putting out fires or fire fighting is used.)
Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, I've been involved in a fire drill all afternoon.
- fire drill
- any pointless, unproductive, useless, or chaotic activity (sometimes Chinese fire drill, but this usage is becoming outmoded in an age of political correctness)
Since they changed the standards again, our previous efforts now just amount to a fire drill.
- fire drill
- An organised practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire
- fire eaters
- plural form of fire eater
- fire engine
- A fire truck; a hook-n-ladder; a vehicle that firefighters use to move water and equipment to the location of a fire
- fire engine red
- A bright red colour typically used on fire engines
- fire engine reds
- plural form of fire engine red
- fire engines
- plural form of fire engine
- fire escape
- any of the series of emergency doors, ladders, or stairs used to evacuate a building if a fire breaks out
- fire escape
- the entire escape route viewed as a whole
- fire escapes
- plural form of fire escape
- fire exit
- Emergency exit in case of a fire
- fire extinguisher
- A device that can be used to put out a fire. Usually a cylinder filled with carbon dioxide, dry powder or water, in the latter two cases with some means of pressurising the cylinder to expel the contents
- fire extinguishers
- plural form of fire extinguisher
- fire guard
- A mesh screen placed in front of a fire to prevent sparks escaping
- fire guards
- plural form of fire guard
- fire hall
- A fire station
- fire halls
- plural form of fire hall
- fire hose
- Any fast, heavy stream (e.g. of information)
She felt she was standing in front of a fire hose of instructions, trying to absorb them all with a sponge.
- fire hose
- A human penis
- fire hose
- A hose designed to deliver water to douse a fire, usually much stronger and wider in diameter than a garden hose
- fire hoses
- plural form of fire hose
- fire hydrant
- A device used by firefighters to obtain water from the main. It consists of a barrel, connections for hose and a valve assembly. There are two common types, wet barrel and dry barrel. Hydrants designed to reduce water theft are called custodial hydrants
- fire hydrants
- plural form of fire hydrant
- fire in the hole
- A warning of an imminent explosion in a confined space
- fire inspection
- A examination of a location's risk of having a fire and its supply of equipment to both fight it and to evacuate the occupants
- fire iron
- One of a set of metal tools kept beside the fireplace, used to keep the fire burning as required
- fire irons
- A set of metal tools kept beside the fireplace, used to keep the fire burning as required. Usually consisting of fire tongs, poker, spade, and a brush for the ashes
- fire irons
- plural form of fire iron
- fire load
- The anticipated amount of wildfire control necessary in a given period and region, based on the number of current fires, the probable number of new fires, and their anticipated intensity
- fire load
- The quantity of combustible matter in a given area, or the quantity of heat that can be generated by its combustion
- fire loads
- plural form of fire load
- fire marshal
- A public official with police powers responsible for enforcing fire safety regulations, and sometimes, who also investigates suspicious fires
- fire marshals
- plural form of fire marshal
- fire mission
- A communication between the fire direction center (FDC) and an observer to direct artillery on a target
- fire off
- To perform a task rapidly, often unexpectedly
When I read the report, without delay I fired off a letter to the editor.
- fire on all cylinders
- To operate as effectively as possible
- fire opal
- Any transparent to translucent opal with a warm body colour of yellow, orange, or red
- fire opals
- plural form of fire opal
- fire resistant
- substance or structure capable of withstanding fire, either permanently or for a pre-determined time
- fire retardant
- Any of several substances used to delay or prevent combustion when used as a coating or component of a combustible material
- fire retardants
- plural form of fire retardant
- fire sale
- An emergency clearance sale at greatly reduced prices. Originally, a sale of product that had been damaged by fire or that could no longer be stored because the storage facility had been destroyed by fire necessitating immediate sale or loss of value
- fire sales
- plural form of fire sale
- fire screen
- a mesh grill placed in front of a fire to prevent sparks escaping
- fire screens
- plural form of fire screen
- fire ship
- A wooden ship set afire and then sent floating into an enemy flotilla, with the intent to set the enemy fleet afire too
- fire ships
- plural form of fire ship
- fire sign
- Any of the three star signs Aries, Leo or Sagittarius
- fire signs
- plural form of fire sign
- fire station
- The building where fire fighters and fire trucks are housed when not answering an alarm
- fire stations
- plural form of fire station
- fire step
- a step dug into the front side of a deep trench so that soldiers could stand on it and fire over the parapet
We stood on the fire step with our heads over the top, peering out into No Man's Land. — Arthur Guy Empey, Over The Top, 1917.
- fire storm
- An atmospheric wind system caused by a large fire (as after the bombing of a city). The intense burning creates vertical wind currents, which induces a strong wind to bring in more air to feed the fire. Incoming wind speed can exceed 60 knots (69.05 mph/111.12 kph) in extreme cases
- fire tongs
- Tongs used for gripping and moving burning coals and logs in a fire. Part of a set of fire irons
- fire truck
- A ladder truck, a vehicle used by firefighters to gain access to the upper stories of a building. Typically, a fire truck has a hydraulic system which operates a large, heavy-duty ladder mounted on top of the truck body, space for portable ladders to be stored and compartments for holding other tools that may be needed
- fire truck
- Any fire apparatus, including fire trucks, fire engines and rescue squads
- fire trucks
- plural form of fire truck
- fire up
- Of an engine or similar, to start
The generator fired up shortly after the power failure began.
- fire up
- To launch; to run
Fire up Excel.
- fire up
- To excite; to infuse with energy
The band went out to fire up the crowd before the game.
- fire up
- To ignite
Let's fire up the grill and have a barbecue.
- fire walker
- one who walks over hot coals
- fire watch
- The act of watching for the occurrence of fires. This is usually done with the intent of detecting fires early so that they can be extinguished quickly and damage to land and/or property can be prevented or minimalized. Fire watches are often employed in forested areas where the risk of fires is high (dry conditions, hot weather, etc) or in industrial settings where hot work (welding, metal grinding, etc) is occurring
- fire watch
- In time of war or danger, the task of looking out for signs of fire caused by the dropping of incendiary devices etc
- fire-breathing
- caustic, vitriolic or scathing
- fire-breathing
- That emits flame from the mouth or nostrils
- fire-eater
- A quarrelsome or belligerent person
- fire-eater
- A performer who pretends to swallow fire
- fire-eater
- An extreme partisan for the South before the US Civil War
Frustrated in their attempts to change the law, fire-eaters turned their efforts to breaking it.
- fire-engine
- Attributive form of fire engine
fire-engine red.
- fire-retardant
- A substance that makes an object resistant to burning
- fire-retardant
- hard to ignite
- fire-sale
- Like or resembling a fire sale
- forest fire
- A fire, often large, that consumes a forest or woodland
If the forest fire is not contained soon the town will be at risk!.
- friendly fire
- Weapons fire from allied or friendly forces, as opposed to fire coming from enemy forces or enemy fire
- gas fire
- a fireplace or heater whose flames are fuelled with combustible gas
- get on like a house on fire
- To immediately start a good relationship with someone
Those two met last Saturday at the party, and because they were both into juggling they get on like a house on fire.
- hang fire
- the situation when a gun does not fire when the trigger is pulled, but may fire several seconds later
- hang fire
- To wait or hold back
We were told to hang fire on the decision until management came back with a proposal.
- hold someone's feet to the fire
- To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions
He kept tabs on presidents, monitored members of Congress, held bureaucrats' feet to the fire.
- hold your fire
- Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet
Hold your fire and let me explain.
- hold your fire
- Do not discharge your weapon. Used originally for weapons needing a spark or lighting of a fuse to ignite gunpowder, now sometimes used to mean any weapon launching a projectile
- hotter than a fresh fucked fox in a forest fire
- extremely hot, in any sense: hot weather"." Tucson Weekly., sexually arousedA Dirty Shame, 2004, wanted by the policeAnother Day in Paradise, 1999, etc
- last burst of fire
- A final effort, a final attempt before stopping
Getting ready for my last burst of fire for the project during the next 2 weeks. After that I will take my much needed rest.
- last bursts of fire
- plural form of last burst of fire
- light a fire under
- To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster
Let me see if I can light a fire under the waiter to get our order sooner.
- light someone's fire
- To excite, to turn on
He’d prowled Houston’s titty bars for more than a decade, and he’d found the one woman who really lit his fire.
- line of fire
- The direction of weapons fire
- need-fire
- A ritual fire created by friction
- no smoke without fire
- Gossip or accusations are often substantiated by fact
- oblique fire
- fire the direction of which is not perpendicular to the line fired at
- on fire
- Being burned by fire
- on fire
- Achieving good results at a rapid rate
That striker has scored four goals so far - he's on fire!.
- open fire
- To begin firing at something or someone
In warfare, whoever opens fire has a greater chance of victory.
- opened fire
- Simple past tense and past participle of open fire
- opening fire
- Present participle of open fire
- opens fire
- Third-person singular simple present indicative form of open fire
- out of the frying pan and into the fire
- Alternative form of out of the frying pan, into the fire
- out of the frying pan into the fire
- Alternative form of out of the frying pan, into the fire
- out of the frying pan, into the fire
- From an already bad situation to a worse one
- play with fire
- To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially
I'm telling you, if you sign that paper, you're playing with fire.
- pull the fire alarm
- To cause the fire alarm to go off, by pulling the button on the fire alarm pull station
- quick-fire
- This word needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text {{rfdef}}
- rapid fire
- Quickly, with minimal time between occurrences
The attorney peppered him with rapid fire questions, barely giving him time to reply.
- rapid-fire
- Able to fire bullets in quick succession
- rapid-fire
- Delivered in a rapid continuous stream
- ready, aim, fire!
- A sequence of commands used to order soldiers to carefully fire their weapons
- red fire
- a chemical mixture used in fireworks and flares that burns with a bright red flame
- rediscover fire
- To relearn fundamental concepts, principles or practices that had been previously well known and widely practiced at a prior time in human society
It was necessary for them to rediscover fire, to relearn the basic laws of economics and rebuild civilization out of the ashes of ruin.
- set fire
- to light using fire
They set fire to the house.
- set on fire
- To cause to begin to burn
- set on fire
- To arouse passionate feelings in
You set my heart on fire.
- set the Thames on fire
- To achieve something amazing; to do something which brings great public acclaim
- sure-fire
- certain to work
That hat should be a sure-fire way to spot him in a crowd.
- there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace
- Even if a person is in his or her senior years, with gray hair, he or she can still have ambition and energy, especially sexual energy
