- fire
- I [[t]fa͟ɪ͟ə(r)[/t]]
BURNING, HEAT, OR ENTHUSIASM
♦♦fires, firing, fired(Please look at category 18 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.)1) N-UNCOUNT 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.
2) N-VAR A fire or fire is an occurrence of uncontrolled burning which destroys buildings, forests, or other things.87 people died in a fire at the Happy Land Social Club...
A forest fire is sweeping across portions of north Maine this evening...
Much of historic Rennes was destroyed by fire in 1720.
Syn:3) N-COUNT A fire is a burning pile of wood, coal, or other fuel that you make, for example to use for heat, light, or cooking.There was a fire in the grate...
After the killing, he calmly lit a fire to destroy evidence.
4) N-COUNT: oft n N A fire is a device that uses electricity or gas to give out heat and warm a room. [mainly BRIT]The gas fire was still alight...
(in AM, usually use heater)She switched on one bar of the electric fire.
5) VERB When a pot or clay object is fired, it is heated at a high temperature in a special oven, as part of the process of making it.[be V-ed] After the pot is dipped in this mixture, it is fired...
[V n] I have watched the potters mold, fire and paint their bowls, plates and vases with sacred designs.
Derived words:firing plural N-VARWhen soft woods are used for the firing, the clay turns dark from the smoke.
6) VERB When the engine of a motor vehicle fires, an electrical spark is produced which causes the fuel to burn and the engine to work.The engine fired and we moved off.
7) VERB: usu passive If a machine is fired with a particular fuel, it operates by means of that fuel.[be V-ed with n] The engines were fired with coal and needed water to keep the steam up.
8) VERB If you fire someone with enthusiasm, you make them feel very enthusiastic. If you fire someone's imagination, you make them feel interested and excited.[V n] ...the potential to fire the imagination of an entire generation...
[V n with n] It was Allen who fired this rivalry with real passion...
[be V-ed with n] Both his grandfathers were fired with an enthusiasm for public speaking...
[V-ed] By Monday, Senor Menem had returned, apparently fired with new determination.
9) N-UNCOUNT (approval) You can use fire to refer in an approving way to someone's energy and enthusiasm.I went to hear him speak and was very impressed. He seemed so full of fire...
His punishing schedule seemed to dim his fire at times.
Syn:10) PHRASE: V inflects If an object or substance catches fire, it starts burning.My home catches fire and everything is destroyed...
The aircraft caught fire soon after take-off.
Syn:11) PHRASE: V inflects If a situation or event catches fire, it begins to be exciting and successful.The play only really catches fire once Aschenbach falls in love.
Syn:12) PHRASE: V inflects If you fight fire with fire, you deal with people attacking or threatening you by using similar methods to the ones that they are using.The only way they can deal with crime is to fight fire with fire.
13) PHRASE: belly inflects, PHR after v, with PHR (approval) If you say that someone has fire in their belly, you are expressing approval of them because they are energetic, enthusiastic, and have very strong feelings.Rocco does not have the same fire in his belly as his father.
14) PHRASE: v-link PHR If something is on fire, it is burning and being damaged or destroyed by an uncontrolled fire.The captain radioed that the ship was on fire.
Syn:15) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, PHR with n If you say that someone is on fire, you mean they are very enthusiastic, excited, or passionate about something.He was on fire with this marvelous sight.
Syn:16) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone is playing with fire, you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems.Schulte warned government and industrial leaders that those who even venture to think about mass layoffs are playing with fire.
17) PHRASE: V inflects If you set fire to something or if you set it on fire, you start it burning in order to damage or destroy it.They set fire to vehicles outside that building...
Lightning set several buildings on fire.
Syn:II [[t]fa͟ɪ͟ə(r)[/t]] SHOOTING OR ATTACKING♦♦fires, firing, fired(Please look at category 16 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.)1) VERB If someone fires a gun or a bullet, or if they fire, a bullet is sent from a gun that they are using.[V n] Seven people were wounded when soldiers fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds...
[V n] New guns firing high explosive shells were incorporated into the battlefield...
[V n] The gun was fired and Beaton was wounded a second time...
[V on n] Seventeen people were killed when security forces fired on demonstrators...
They were firing. I screamed at them to stop.
Derived words:firing N-UNCOUNTThey were under constant firing from the guns...
The firing continued even while the protestors were fleeing.
2) N-UNCOUNT You can use fire to refer to the shots fired from a gun or guns.His car was raked with fire from automatic weapons...
The two were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire during a police raid.
Syn:3) VERB If you fire an arrow, you send it from a bow.[V n] He fired an arrow into a clearing in the forest.
Syn:4) VERB If you fire questions at someone, you ask them a lot of questions very quickly, one after another.[V n] They were bombarded by more than 100 representatives firing questions on pollution.
5) N-UNCOUNT: poss N You can use fire to refer to someone's strong criticisms of something.He said they should turn their fire on the Conservative Party instead.
Syn:6) PHRASE: V inflects If you draw fire from someone, you cause them to shoot at you, for example because they think that you are threatening them.Crowds elsewhere drew fire from troops.
7) PHRASE: V inflects If you draw fire for something that you have done, you cause people to criticize you or attack you because of it.The council recently drew fire for its intervention in the dispute...
The campaign is drawing fire from anti-smoking advocates.
8) PHRASE: V inflects If you hang fire, you delay making a decision about something.All I can suggest is that you just hang fire and wait a minute or two and try again...
Last week, banks and building societies were hanging fire on interest rates.
Syn:9) PHRASE: V inflects If someone holds their fire or holds fire, they stop shooting or they wait before they start shooting.Devereux ordered his men to hold their fire until the ships got closer.
10) PHRASE: V inflects If you hold fire in a situation, you delay before taking action.Observers reckon the Bank of England will hold fire until nearer the Budget.
Syn:11) PHRASE If you are in the line of fire, you are in a position where someone is aiming their gun at you. If you move into their line of fire, you move into a position between them and the thing they were aiming at.He cheerfully blows away any bad guy stupid enough to get in his line of fire...
The man and his son had been pushed into the line of fire by their captors.
Then without warning, the troops opened fire on the crowd.
13) PHRASE: V inflects If you return fire or you return someone's fire, you shoot back at someone who has shot at you.The soldiers returned fire after being attacked.
14) PHRASE: usu v PHR, v-link PHR If you come under fire or are under fire, someone starts shooting at you.The Belgians fell back as the infantry came under fire.
...sending aid to cities which have been under fire for weeks now.
15) PHRASE: usu v PHR, v-link PHR If you come under fire from someone or are under fire, they criticize you strongly.The president's plan first came under fire from critics who said he hadn't included enough spending cuts.
Phrasal Verbs:- fire offIII [[t]fa͟ɪ͟ə(r)[/t]] DISMISSALfires, firing, firedIf an employer fires you, they dismiss you from your job.[V n] If he hadn't been so good at the rest of his job, I probably would have fired him...
[V n] She was sent a box of chocolates along with a letter saying she was fired.
Syn:Derived words:firing N-COUNTThere was yet another round of firings.
English dictionary. 2008.
