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   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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