Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense flares, present participle flaring, past tense, past participle flared
1. countable noun
A flare is a small device that produces a bright flame. Flares are used as signals, for example on ships.
...a ship which had fired a distress flare.
Synonyms: rocket, light, signal, beacon More Synonyms of flare
2. verb
If a fire flares, the flames suddenly become larger.
Camp fires flared like beacons in the dark. [VERB]
Synonyms: blaze, flame, dazzle, glare More Synonyms of flare
Flare up means the same as flare.
Don't spill too much fat on the barbecue as it could flare up. [VERBPARTICLE]
3. verb
If something such as trouble, violence, or conflict flares, it starts or becomes more violent.
Even as the President appealed for calm, trouble flared in several American cities. [VERB]
Flare up means the same as flare.
Dozens of people were injured as fighting flared up. [VERBPARTICLE]
Synonyms: erupt, break out, fire up, burst out More Synonyms of flare
4. verb
If people's tempers flare, they get angry.
Tempers flared and harsh words were exchanged. [VERB]
5. verb
If someone's nostrils flare or if they flare them, their nostrils become wider, often because the person is angry or upset.
I turned to Jacky, my nostrils flaring in disgust. [VERB]
He stuck out his tongue and flared his nostrils. [VERB noun]
6. verb
If something such as a dress flares, it spreads outwards at one end to form a wide shape.
...a simple black dress, cut to flare from the hips. [VERB]
Synonyms: widen, spread, broaden, spread out More Synonyms of flare
7. plural noun [oft a pair ofNOUN]
Flares are trousers that are very wide at the bottom.
8. See also flared
Phrasal verbs:
See flare up
More Synonyms of flare
flare in British English
(flɛə)
verb
1.
to burn or cause to burn with an unsteady or sudden bright flame
2.
to spread or cause to spread outwards from a narrow to a wider shape
3. (transitive)
to make a conspicuous display of
4.
to increase the temperature of (a molten metal or alloy) until a gaseous constituent of the melt burns with a characteristic flame or (of a molten metal or alloy) to show such a flame
5. (transitive; sometimes foll byoff)
(in the oil industry) to burn off (unwanted gas) at an oil well
noun
6.
an unsteady flame
7.
a sudden burst of flame
8.
a.
a blaze of light or fire used to illuminate, identify, alert, signal distress, etc
b.
the device producing such a blaze
9.
a spreading shape or anything with a spreading shape
a skirt with a flare
10.
a sudden outburst, as of emotion
11. optics
a.
the unwanted light reaching the image region of an optical device by reflections inside the instrument, etc
b.
the fogged area formed on a negative by such reflections
See also solar flare
12. astronomy short for solar flare
13. aeronautics
the final transition phase of an aircraft landing, from the steady descent path to touchdown
14.
an open flame used to burn off unwanted gas at an oil well
Derived forms
flared
adjective
Word origin
C16 (to spread out): of unknown origin
flare in American English
(flɛr)
verb intransitiveWord forms: flared or ˈflaring
1.
a.
to blaze up with a sudden, bright light
b.
to burn unsteadily, as a flame whipped about by the wind
2.
to burst out suddenly in anger, violence, etc.
often with up or out
3.
to curve or spread outward, as the bell of a trumpet
verb transitive
4.
to make flare
5.
to signal with a flare
noun
6.
a bright, unsteady blaze of light lasting only a little while; outburst of flame
7.
a.
a very bright light used as a distress signal, to light up a landing field, etc.
b.
a substance burned to make such a light
8.
a sudden, brief outburst, as of emotion or sound
9.
a.
a curving or spreading outward, as of a skirt
b.
a part that curves or spreads outward
10. Astronomy
a.
a short-lived, spotlike outburst of increased brightness on the sun, seen esp. near sunspots and often accompanied by X-rays, gamma rays, etc.
b.
a sudden, temporary increase in the brightness of any star
11. Photography
a foggy spot on film, caused by a reflection of light from the lens
SIMILAR WORDS: blaze
Word origin
ME fleare < ?
flare in Chemical Engineering
(flɛər)
Word forms: (regular plural) flares
noun
(Chemical Engineering: Chemical waste management)
A flare is a flame used for burning flammable waste gases to get rid of them.
Gas which isn't burned in the turbine is burned in a flare to prevent its release.
In many industrial operations, large volumes of combustible waste gases are producedwhich can be burned off in a flare.
A flare is a flame used for burning flammable waste gases to get rid of them.
flare in the Oil and Gas Industry
(flɛər)
Word forms: (present) flares, (past) flared, (perfect) flared, (progressive) flaring
verb
(Extractive engineering: Refinery processes)
To flare unwanted gas at an oil well is to get rid of it by burning it.
Gas produced along with oil was usually just burned off, or flared.
On a worldwide basis most unwanted gas produced as a result of oil production isflared.
To flare unwanted gas at an oil well is to get rid of it by burning it.
flare stack
Examples of 'flare' in a sentence
flare
It was not until the 20th century that it flared again.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Trouble flared shortly after 4pm as pupils finished school.
The Sun (2016)
Emotions flare between the four main characters.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Standards have slipped since those days of flared trousers and platform shoes.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It is not known who fired the flare.
The Sun (2015)
Margaret insisted upon going into the full light of the flaring gas inside to take the ticket.
Elizabeth Gaskell North and South (1855)
It was a warning for the police who moved quickly to stop trouble from flaring up.
The Sun (2009)
The flame flared up once or twice.
Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)
The solar flare effects will also be visible today and tomorrow.
The Sun (2011)
Then she was dressed in flared jeans and a bohemian silk coat.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But trouble flared when a group went back to the family home.
The Sun (2009)
He stared up and saw flames flaring off the roof.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
For the first time in years villagers could not see or feel the heat from a bright orange flare lighting the sky.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Emotions flared as last week's hearing drew to a close.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Historic competition for influence and for the region's energy resources could flare up again.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
How wasteful it is that more than 60% of its natural gas production is flared.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I went to see if there was a problem and a woman fired a flare.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
His wife had seen the light from a flare outside their window as they were going to bed at about 11pm.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
And last week's defeat at Aldershot saw tempers flare in the dressing room.
The Sun (2011)
At any moment, at various points across the ice ring, little orange lights would flare quickly before dying.
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
In other languages
flare
British English: flare NOUN
A flare is a small device that produces a bright flame.
...a ship which had fired a distress flare.
American English: flare
Brazilian Portuguese: foguete sinalizador
Chinese: 信号弹
European Spanish: bengala
French: signal
German: Leuchtsignal
Italian: razzo
Japanese: 発火信号
Korean: 조명탄
European Portuguese: foguete sinalizador
Latin American Spanish: bengala
All related terms of 'flare'
flare-up
If a disease or injury flares up , it suddenly returns or becomes painful again.
flare path
an airstrip illuminated for use at night or in bad weather
flare stack
A flare stack is a high vertical pipe for carrying unwanted gas so it can be burned off.
flare star
a red dwarf star in which outbursts , thought to be analogous to solar flares , occur, increasing the luminosity by several magnitudes in a few minutes
solar flare
a brief powerful eruption of particles and intense electromagnetic radiation from the sun's surface, associated with sunspots and causing disturbances to radio communication on earth