1The action of setting fire to something.

1. 1.1 The discharging of a gun or other weapon.
   the prolonged firing caused heavy losses

   no missile firings were planned

   Example sentencesExamples

   • An Armament Control System manages weapons selection and firing and monitors weapon status.
   • Throughout the day, the sounds of firing and artillery can be heard.
   • Never try to shoot out an obstruction by loading another shell and firing!
   • The assault commenced with the firing of Rocket Propelled Grenades followed by indiscriminate firing.
   • The submerged firing of the missiles can be conducted in a single salvo while the submarine is moving at a speed of 5 knots.
   • Desultory firing continued for two days amid fog, smokescreens, and increasing confusion, before the operation was eventually abandoned.
   • The time required to prepare the weapon for firing is less than 30 seconds, with a reload time of less than 20 seconds.
   • And ‘friendly fire’ was clearly invented to cover the embarrassment of firing on wrong people or targets.
   • Gus let the gun spin down, its chain-circle already red hot from prolonged firing.
   • Several of the weapons also tested positive for recent firing, officials said.
   • Disabling firing hit the car in the right and front.
   • The principal weapon uses electronic firing to reduce reaction times.
   • The tests would include search and track scenarios, simulated and live missile firings, including day and night operations..
   • Both got killed as they were climbing the third story, in the indiscriminate firing resorted to by the holed up terrorists hiding behind the haystack on the third storey of the house.
   • The second phase will include the helicopter's first firing of live missiles and is anticipated to be completed by August.
   • Bomb blasts, targeted killings, and indiscriminate firing at places of worship speak of the poison of hatred injected into the body of our society by extremist elements.
   • There are no reports by any U.S. aircraft or any aircraft that we've been able to identify of any sighting of surface-to-air missile firings.
   • The Police ransacked the village, killed 20 persons in indiscriminate firing, and set fire to two busses.
   • The exercise includes live firing of weapons by many force elements.
   • Although the gunners may have a restricted field of fire, the flash, smoke or dust from the weapon firing will not be seen from outside.

   Synonyms

   gunshots, shots, shooting, sniping
2. 1.2 The dismissal of an employee from a job.
   the recent firing of the head of the department

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The second-biggest computer maker, which has about 93,000 employees, said the firings will take place worldwide, with most occurring in early August.
   • In waking life, of course, you were not part of the decisions about promotion and firing in your office, but still you feel guilty about getting ahead under such unhappy and unfair circumstances.
   • He had recently been fired, but was determined to fight his firing even though there was no possibility of his keeping his job.
   • The workers say their action is a sympathy strike to protest the firing of about 800 employees by U.S. airline catering company Gate Gourmet.
   • The Church did not confirm their firing because of ‘employee confidentiality.’
   • Each of us may well be one paycheque or more away from poverty because all it takes to be in that situation is a firing or layoff.
   • The firing of the Travel Office employees had occurred in the early months of 1993.
   • Following a firing, they'll provide immediate counselling to an employee - whether that's offering a shoulder to cry on or a voice of reason.
   • Therefore, under the present arrangement, these boards have the power that, eventually, will include hiring and firing of employees.
   • Since managers are fired, not traded, firing is simple.
   • During his run, he experienced one firing, two resignations, two contract nonrenewals, and three layoffs.
   • The woman who had done the firing was fired in turn, and my workplace cooled down.
   • Their new policy regarding the lifestyle of their employees has led to the firing of seven employees who did not want to quit their smoking habit.
   • The recent firing of the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association for perceived political bias was disturbing.
   • We will shortly see calls for major resignations and firings at the Guild office.
   • The panel didn't recommend the firing of any CBS News employees.
   • The union did construct a back to work protocol to protect the returning employees from unlawful firings and possible discrimination.
   • In contrast, it pointed out that an employee's formal firing always results from an official act of the company.
   • He does the hiring and firing and that's why he doesn't get fired.
   • Strong political will, courage, determination, and if necessary firings and resignations are required to get the judicial system and the prosecution service into working order.

   Synonyms

   redundancy, dismissal, discharge
3. 1.3 The baking or drying of pottery or bricks in a kiln.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • At the same time, potters developed luster glazes by adding metallic elements to the surface of the glazed piece before a second firing in the kiln.
   • I then decided to fire in an electric kiln, followed by a second firing using briquettes as fuel.
   • Then I turn the kiln up in the morning and complete the firing slowly.
   • Campers can use polymer clay for sculpting on the final day of camp sessions when the projected schedule does not permit conventional firing of ordinary clay.
   • After the initial firing, the students glazed the clay hands.
   • Dutch enthusiasm for the new material was particularly keen and by the seventeenth century, one kiln could produce over half a million bricks in a single firing.
   • I then did an underglaze firing after the painting was finished.
   • The company worked with brick manufacturers on firing processes that would achieve the right texture.
   • Moisture makes the brick adaptable and impressionable, whereas the firing process dries the brick and sets it into a strong, structured, resistant object.
   • Pottery, raku firing and photography will also be explored.
   • Following this initial firing, my students applied a clear glaze and I fired the dishes a final time.