fire
noun
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.
fire
1 American
[fahyuhr]
/ faɪər /
noun
-
fires
plural
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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.
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a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
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the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
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heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove.
Put the kettle on the fire.
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flashing light; luminous appearance.
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brilliance, as of a gem.
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burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
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liveliness of imagination.
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fever or inflammation.
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severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
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exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
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strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
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a spark or sparks.
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the discharge of firearms.
enemy fire.
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the effect of firing military weapons.
to pour fire upon the enemy.
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British. a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
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Literary. a luminous object, as a star.
heavenly fires.
verb (used with object)
fired,
firing
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to set on fire.
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to supply with fuel or attend to the fire of (often followed byup ).
They fired the boiler.
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to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
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to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
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to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
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to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor (often followed byup ).
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to inspire.
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to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
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to discharge (a gun).
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to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
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to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
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to cause (a device, machine, etc.) to start working (usually followed byup ).
I just fired up my new laptop.
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to hurl; throw.
to fire a stone through a window.
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to dismiss from a job.
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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.
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to drive out or away by or as by fire.
verb (used without object)
fired,
firing
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to take fire; be kindled.
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to glow as if on fire.
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to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
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to shoot, as a gun.
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to discharge a gun.
to fire at a fleeing enemy.
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to hurl a projectile.
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Music. to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
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(of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
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(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
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(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
adjective
verb phrase
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fire off
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to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.).
Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
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to write and send hurriedly.
She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
-
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fire away to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions.
The reporters fired away at the president.
idioms
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fight fire with fire, to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
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take fire,
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to become ignited; burn.
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to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal.
Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
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set fire to, Also set on fire.
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to cause to burn; ignite.
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to excite; arouse; inflame.
The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
-
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play with fire, to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter.
He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
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build a fire under, 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.
-
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.
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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.
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hang fire,
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to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
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to be undecided, postponed, or delayed.
The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
-
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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.
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miss fire,
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to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
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to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful.
He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
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on fire,
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ignited; burning; afire.
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eager; ardent; zealous.
They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
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under fire,
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under attack, especially by military forces.
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under censure or criticism.
The school administration is under fire for its policies.
-
-
catch fire, to create enthusiasm.
His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
FIRE
2
American
[fahyuhr]
/ faɪər /
abbreviation
-
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.
-
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,
FIREing
fire
British
/ faɪə /
noun
-
the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
-
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a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
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( in combination )
firewood
firelighter
-
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a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
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a device for heating a room, etc
-
something resembling a fire in light or brilliance
a diamond's fire
-
a flash or spark of or as if of fire
-
-
the act of discharging weapons, artillery, etc
-
the shells, etc, fired
-
-
a burst or rapid volley
a fire of questions
-
intense passion; ardour
-
liveliness, as of imagination, thought, etc
-
a burning sensation sometimes produced by drinking strong alcoholic liquor
-
fever and inflammation
-
a severe trial or torment (esp in the phrase go through fire and water )
-
to ignite
-
to attract the criticism or censure of someone
-
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to delay firing
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to delay or be delayed
-
-
the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
-
-
in a state of ignition
-
ardent or eager
-
informal playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
-
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to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
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to be involved in something risky
-
-
to ignite
-
to arouse or excite
-
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informal to cause a great sensation
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being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
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(modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius Compare earth air water
verb
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to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
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to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
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informal (tr) to dismiss from employment
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(tr) ceramics to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
-
to kindle or be kindled; ignite
-
(tr) to provide with fuel
oil fires the heating system
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(intr) to tend a fire
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(tr) to subject to heat
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(tr) to heat slowly so as to dry
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(tr) to arouse to strong emotion
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to glow or cause to glow
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(intr) (of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
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(intr) (of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
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vet science another word for cauterize
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informal (intr) (of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm
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a cry to warn others of a fire
-
the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc
fire
More Idioms
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fire
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr ( see pyro-); (verb) Middle English firen “to kindle, inflame,” derivative of the noun; see igneous ( def. )
Explanation
If you gather kindling and logs and burn them, then you've made a fire. For safety, you should make your fire in a fire pit or fireplace, but for fun, you can toast marshmallows over the fire. As a verb, fire can mean to discharge a weapon. Your hometown might fire a cannon on the common each year to celebrate the Fourth of July. Rather than use a real cannonball, they probably fire it with blanks. The verb fire can also mean to terminate from a position of employment. It's no fun to have to fire someone, especially the guy you fire is your brother.
Vocabulary lists containing fire
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Supply risks to crude continue to increase, the analysts add, noting that Saudi Arabia said it had contained a fire near its biggest export terminal at Ras Tanura following an attack on the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
“If you fail to tell them and your house catches fire, you’ll be in a very ugly situation.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
That’s fire, the kind that makes you want to cozy up under a blanket with your favorite mug of tea.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
The Russian defence ministry said on Friday it would halt fire in the "Kherson sector" for the duration of the ceasefire, without giving details.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
At times, it can feel like your entire body is on fire.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Carolyn Iodice, the policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, known as FIRE, said the organization has noted an uptick in laws nationwide implementing privacy protections for those in certain professions.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
ACA is holding your feet to the FIRE.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
“It’s still FIRE, just on your terms,” she said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026
It looks like they are making an effort to protect free speech, said Sean Stevens, who runs the rankings for FIRE.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
O FIRE, my brother, I sing victory to you.
From Fruit-Gathering by Rabindranath Tagore
But calls also have increased in complexity to include reports of hazardous materials and widespread brush fires that threaten an increasingly large segment of people living in areas that abut wildlands, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Major sections fell into the sea during storms in late 2002, while two separate fires the following year destroyed most of what remained.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The scapegoating wasn’t just happening on the right: A former L.A. resident who is Iranian-American and a Democrat told Salon that during the 2025 fires, friends reposted claims blaming Native communities for water shortages.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
The security world deals with these five-alarm fires around ubiquitous software every decade or so, but this is the first time one has happened since AI tools became so good at hacking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
At the bottom of the hill, a group of people milled in the street, watching one of the fires.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
For decades, the military has used smaller numbers of expensive weapons systems that were fired infrequently, even in training.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Angel City finally found its stride this summer when it fired manager Alexander Straus and replaced him with assistant Leif Gunnar Smerud.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
They were fired up, as in other countries, by the cost of living and poor public services.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
That helped to build confidence going into Sunday's derby at Leigh Sports Village, and when Elisabeth Terland fired in a late United equaliser it did not feel like a shock.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
“I was sure we were gonna die. I would have, if you hadn’t fired those cracker shells.”
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
“I do show extreme concern when a candidate is talking about firing a chief of police,” he said then, although he declined to say who he would vote for at the time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Took the opening goal brilliantly, firing high into the roof of the net, before stroking in a second.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
They said they were worried their firing will serve as an excuse for OpenAI to close a channel to independent third-party oversight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Rabeh said the man was firing sporadically from his car and that the person killed was "of African origin".
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
She imagined him as she had met him, mounted and firing flaming arrows with such precision.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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