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View synonyms for fire

noun

  1. a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
  2. a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
  3. the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
  4. heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove:
    Put the kettle on the fire.
  5. flashing light; luminous appearance.
  6. burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
  7. liveliness of imagination.
  8. severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
  9. exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
  10. strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
  11. enemy fire.
  12. the effect of firing military weapons:
    to pour fire upon the enemy.
  13. British. a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
  14. Literary. a luminous object, as a star:
    heavenly fires.

verb (used with object)

, fired, fir·ing.

  1. to supply with fuel or attend to the fire of (often followed by up ):
    They fired the boiler.
  2. to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
  3. to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
  4. to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
  5. to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor (often followed by up ).
  6. to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
  7. to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
  8. to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
  9. to cause (a device, machine, etc.) to start working (usually followed by up ):
    I just fired up my new laptop.
  10. to fire a stone through a window.
  11. Veterinary Medicine. to apply a heated iron to (the skin) in order to create a local inflammation of the superficial structures, with the intention of favorably affecting deeper inflammatory processes.
  12. to drive out or away by or as by fire.

verb (used without object)

, fired, fir·ing.

  1. to take fire; be kindled.
  2. to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
  3. to fire at a fleeing enemy.
  4. Music. to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
  5. (of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
  6. (of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
  7. (of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.

adjective

  1. Slang. cool, excellent, exciting, etc.:
    It would be so fire if we won those tickets!

verb phrase

    1. to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.):
      Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
    2. to write and send hurriedly:
      She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
  2. Informal. to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions:
    The reporters fired away at the president.

abbreviation for

  1. finance, insurance, and real estate: the sector of the economy that revolves around financial transactions of various kinds made by professional agents for their clients.
  2. financial independence, retire early: a movement among relatively young, well-paid professionals, especially those working in the tech industry, to achieve financial independence and retire early by radically cutting expenses and investing as much of their income and savings as possible.

verb (used without object)

, FIREd, FIRE·ing.

  1. Sometimes
    fire.
    to achieve financial independence and retire early:
    Do any of you who have FIREd still earn money doing stuff you like?
    We won’t be FIREing anytime soon, but both my husband and I really enjoy being semi-retired.
    In the course of firing, he downsized to a smaller home and maxed out his retirement plan contributions, allowing him to retire at 43.

/ faɪə /

noun

  1. the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
    1. a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
  3. a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
  4. a device for heating a room, etc
  5. something resembling a fire in light or brilliance
    a diamond's fire
  6. a flash or spark of or as if of fire
    1. the act of discharging weapons, artillery, etc
    2. the shells, etc, fired
  8. a fire of questions
  9. liveliness, as of imagination, thought, etc
  10. a burning sensation sometimes produced by drinking strong alcoholic liquor
  11. a severe trial or torment (esp in the phrase go through fire and water )
  12. catch fire
  13. draw someone's fire
    to attract the criticism or censure of someone
  14. hang fire
  15. to delay firing
  16. to delay or be delayed
  17. no smoke without fire
    the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
  18. on fire
  19. in a state of ignition
  20. ardent or eager
  21. playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
  22. open fire
    to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
  23. play with fire
    to be involved in something risky
  24. set fire to or set on fire
  25. to ignite
  26. to arouse or excite
  27. set the world on fire or set the Thames on fire or set the heather on fire informal.
    to cause a great sensation
  28. under fire
    being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
  29. modifier astrology
    of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
    Compare earth air water

verb

  1. to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
  2. to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
  3. informal.
    tr
    to dismiss from employment
  4. tr ceramics
    to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
  5. to kindle or be kindled; ignite
  6. oil fires the heating system
  7. tr to heat slowly so as to dry
  8. tr to arouse to strong emotion
  9. intr (of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
  10. intr (of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
  11. informal.
    intr
    (of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm

sentence substitute

  1. a cry to warn others of a fire
  2. the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc

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Derived Forms

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Other Words From

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Word History and Origins

Origin of fire1

First recorded

before 900;

(noun) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr ( pyro-

); (verb) Middle English firen “to kindle, inflame,” derivative of the noun;

igneous ( def )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of fire1

Old English fӯr ; related to Old Saxon fiur , Old Norse fūrr , Old High German fūir , Greek pur

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

  1. between two fires,
    under physical or verbal attack from two or more sides simultaneously:
    The senator is between two fires because of his stand on the bill.
  2. build a fire under, Informal. to cause or urge to take action, make a decision quickly, or work faster:
    If somebody doesn't build a fire under that committee, it will never reach a decision.
  3. catch (on) fire,
    to become ignited; burn:
    The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
    The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette.
    The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
  4. catch fire,
    to create enthusiasm:
    His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
  5. fight fire with fire,
    to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
  6. go through fire and water,
    to brave any danger or endure any trial:
    He said he would go through fire and water to win her hand.
    1. to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
    2. to be undecided, postponed, or delayed:
      The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
    1. to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
    2. to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful:
      He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
    1. ignited; burning; afire.
    2. eager; ardent; zealous:
      They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
  10. play with fire,
    to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter:
    He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
  11. set fire to,
    Also
    set on fire.
  12. to cause to burn; ignite.
  13. to excite; arouse; inflame:
    The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
    1. to become ignited; burn.
  15. to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal:
    Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
    1. under attack, especially by military forces.
  17. under censure or criticism:
    The school administration is under fire for its policies.

More idioms and phrases containing fire

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Example Sentences

Gray, whose portfolio includes sport, has been under fire after it emerged he had been chauffeured to six football matches at Hampden since becoming a minister, four of which included the team he supports.

That’s a gross exaggeration, as gasoline, battery and hydrogen vehicles all are subject to fire and explosion, albeit in different ways.

No, Riley is not getting fired, not even after going 7-10 in his last 17 games and failing for the third time in three years to qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Mr. Morris was soon demoted, the lawsuit says, and later fired.

Some of the first human beings to arrive in Tasmania, over 41,000 years ago, used fire to shape and manage the landscape, about 2,000 years earlier than previously thought.

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More About Fire

What is fire?

Fire is what happens when a material is ignited and combined with oxygen, resulting in combustion. This results in light, heat, and a visible effect that usually appears as orange or yellow flames.

Fire typically requires three ingredients: heat, fuel (something to burn), and oxygen.

Fire is hard to describe since it’s different from the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of matter we’re used to observing (fire is usually a mixture of hot gases, but sometimes it’s a plasma, depending on what’s burning). But you know it when you see it: if you’ve ever lit a match or candle or burned wood in a fireplace, you’ve created fire.

We describe an instance of fire as a fire, as in a fire in the fireplace or a house fire.

If something is burning or consumed by fire, we say it is on fire, as in The stove is on fire.

Fire can also be used metaphorically, such as to refer to intensity or extreme passion, as in The fire in my heart. It’s also commonly used in many idioms and expressions (such as fight fire with fire and playing with fire), and, more recently, as a slang term meaning awesome (as in Those shoes are fire).

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.

Where does fire come from?

The first records of the word fire come from before 900. As a noun, it comes from the Old English fȳr. Fire is related to the Old Norse fūrr and German Feuer, which come from the Greek pŷr (the origin of the word part pyro-, as in pyrotechnics, and the word pyre, as in funeral pyre). As a verb, fire comes from the Middle English firen, which was derived from the noun and means “to kindle or inflame.”

Fire has fascinated humans for as long as we have known about it. At one time, fire was thought to be one of the four substances (the others being earth, air, and water) that made up everything in the universe. It has been used for cooking, warmth, and other practical uses for at least hundreds of thousands of years.

We often specify types of fires by what is on fire, such as house fire and forest fire, or what has caused or is fueling the fire, as in grease fire. Things that involve preventing or putting out fires or fire safety typically have the word in their name, such as in firefighter, fire department, fire truck, fire extinguisher, fire escape, and fire drill.

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How is fire used in real life?

The word fire is very commonly used, particularly in its literal sense.

At the site of the North Complex Fire today, Governor @GavinNewsom signed @AsmReyes47's #AB2147 eliminating barriers that prevent former inmate fire crews from pursuing a career as a firefighter once they served their time. #CaliforniaForAll pic.twitter.com/tT3D18UJWK

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) September 11, 2020

I have been affected by fires in the Central Coast. Ash still rains down on us. Friends & family across CA are affected. My family & friends in OR are affected; some homes are still at risk. Friends & family in WA are affected. The fires are everywhere.

— heather lyons (@_heatherlyons) September 11, 2020

Perhaps she is telling you people to clean up dead trees and brush to remove fuel so fires don't get so bad.

— JIM KOONTZ (@JIMKOONTZ4) September 11, 2020

Try using fire!

Which of the following things is NOT one of the three ingredients typically required for a fire?

A. heat
B. oxygen
C. water vapor
D. fuel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.