Fire

Pronunciation

• UK enPR: fÄ«É™(r), IPA: /ˈfaɪ̯ə(ɹ)/
• US enPR: fÄ«r, IPA: /ˈfaɪ̯ɚ/
• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

Origin

From Middle English fier, from Old English fȳr ("fire"), from *fuïr, a regularised form of Proto-Germanic *fōr ("fire") (compare Saterland Frisian Fjuur, West Frisian fjoer, Dutch vuur, Low German Für, German Feuer, Danish fyr), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *péh₂ur (compare Hittite 𒉺𒀪𒄯, Umbrian pir, Tocharian A/B por/puwar, Czech pýř ("hot ashes"), Ancient Greek πῦρ ("fire"), Armenian հուր (hur, "fire")) and perhaps Albanian prush ("embers"). This was an inanimate noun whose animate counterpart was Proto-Indo-European *h₁ngʷnis, *h₁ngʷni-. Etymological twin to to pyre

Full definition of fire

Noun

1. (uncountable) 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.
2. (countable) 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.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 8, We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove.
3. (countable) The often accidental occurrence of fire in a certain place.
   There was a fire at the school last night and the whole place burned down.
   During hot and dry summers many fires in forests are caused by regardlessly discarded cigarette butts.
4. (uncountable, alchemy) One of the four basic elements.
5. (China, India and Japan) One of the five basic elements (see Wikipedia article on the Classical elements).
6. (countable, British) A heater or stove used in place of a real fire (such as an electric fire).
7. (countable) The elements necessary to start a fire.
   The fire was laid and needed to be lit.
8. (uncountable) The bullets or other projectiles fired from a gun.
   The fire from the enemy guns kept us from attacking.
9. Strength of passion, whether love or hate.
• AtterburyHe had fire in his temper.
10. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm.
• Alexander PopeAnd bless their critic with a poet's fire.
11. Splendour; brilliancy; lustre; hence, a star.
• William ShakespeareStars, hide your fires.
• John MiltonAs in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires.
12. (countable) A button (on a joypad, joystick or similar device) usually used to make a video game character fire a weapon.
    Press fire to fire the gun.

Derived terms

Verb

1. (transitive) To set (something) on fire.
• Wells Invisible Chapter 20,"Then I slipped up again with a box of matches, fired my heap of paper and rubbish, put the chairs and bedding thereby, led the gas to the affair, by means of an india-rubber tube, and waving a farewell to the room left it for the last time.""You fired the house!" exclaimed Kemp."Fired the house. It was the only way to cover my trail—and no doubt it was insured."
• 1907, Jack London, The Iron HeelIt 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.
2. (transitive) To heat without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc.If you fire the pottery at too high a temperature, it may crack.They fire the wood to make it easier to put a point on the end.
3. (transitive) To drive away by setting a fire.
• ShakespeareTill my bad angel fire my good one out.
4. (transitive) To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct or poor performance).
• 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin 2011, p. 226:The first, obvious choice was hysterical and fantastic Blanche – had there not been her timidity, her fear of being ‘fired’ ....
5. (transitive) To shoot (a device that launches a projectile or a pulse of stream of something).We will fire our guns at the enemy.He fired his radar gun at passing cars.
6. (intransitive) To shoot a gun, a cannon or a similar weapon.Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes.His nail gun fired about twenty roofing nails a minute.
7. (transitive, sports) To shoot; to attempt to score a goal.
• 2010, December 29, Mark Vesty, Wigan 2 - 2 Arsenal, Andrey Arshavin equalised with a superb volley into the corner before Nicklas Bendtner coolly fired Arsenal in front.
8. (intransitive, physiology) To cause an action potential in a cell.When a neuron fires, it transmits information.
9. (transitive) To forcibly direct (something).He answered the questions the reporters fired at him.
10. (intransitive, computer sciences, software engineering) To initiate an event (by means of an event handler)The event handler should only fire after all web page content has finished loading.
11. To inflame; to irritate, as the passions.to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge
• DrydenLove had fired my mind.
12. To animate; to give life or spirit to.to fire the genius of a young man
13. To feed or serve the fire of.to fire a boiler
14. To light up as if by fire; to illuminate.
• Shakespearesun fires the proud tops of the eastern pines.
15. (farriery) To cauterize.
16. (intransitive, dated) To catch fire; to be kindled.
17. (intransitive, dated) To be irritated or inflamed with passion.

Synonyms

• (set on fire) See set on fire
• (transitive, shoot) let off, loose archery, shoot,
• (terminate the employment of) dismiss, be given one's cards, be given the boot, be given the elbow, be given the old heave-ho, let go, make redundant, sack, throw out
• (intransitive, shoot a weapon) open fire, shoot

Antonyms

• (to terminate the employment) hire

Derived terms

Anagrams

• refi
• rife