fuel

noun

/ˈfjuːəl/

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[uncountable, countable] any material that produces heat or power, usually when it is burnt
- diesel/jet/rocket fuel
- Most of the houses are heated with solid fuel (= wood, coal, etc.).
- The plant reprocesses spent fuel from nuclear power stations.
- The car has a 65-litre fuel tank.
- a car with high fuel consumption
- New engine designs are improving fuel efficiency.
- We aim to cut emissions and boost fuel economy.
- We use fuel oil to heat our house.
- steadily rising fuel prices
- Domestic fuel bills are set to rise again in the autumn.
see also alternative fuel, fossil fuel, nuclear fuel
Wordfinder
- energy
- fossil fuel
- fracking
- fuel
- hydroelectric
- nuclear
- oil
- power station
- solar
- wind farm
Extra Examples
- The power plant burns sugar cane as fuel.
- What sort of fuel does the car run on?
- A tax on carbon-producing fuels such as coal and oil was proposed.
- Make sure you don't run out of fuel.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- clean
- smokeless
- unleaded
- …
verb + fuel
- burn
- consume
- run on
- …
fuel + noun
- bill
- costs
- prices
- …
See full entry
[uncountable] a thing that is said or done that makes something, especially an argument, continue or get worse
- The new information adds fuel to the debate over safety procedures.
- The revelations gave new fuel to angry opponents of the proposed law.
- His remarks simply added fuel to the fire/flames of her rage.

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French fouaille, based on Latin focus ‘hearth’ (in late Latin ‘fire’).

verb

/ˈfjuːəl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fuel	/ˈfjuːəl/ /ˈfjuːəl/
he / she / it fuels	/ˈfjuːəlz/ /ˈfjuːəlz/
past simple fuelled	/ˈfjuːəld/ /ˈfjuːəld/
past participle fuelled	/ˈfjuːəld/ /ˈfjuːəld/
(US English) past simple fueled	/ˈfjuːəld/ /ˈfjuːəld/
(US English) past participle fueled	/ˈfjuːəld/ /ˈfjuːəld/
-ing form fuelling	/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/ /ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/
(US English) -ing form fueling	/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/ /ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/

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[transitive] fuel something to supply something with material that can be burnt to produce heat or power
- Uranium is used to fuel nuclear plants.
- oil-fuelled power stations
- Most electric plants in California are fuelled by natural gas.
[transitive, intransitive] fuel (something) (up) to put petrol into a vehicle
- The helicopter was already fuelled (up) and ready to go.
[transitive] fuel something to increase something; to make something stronger synonym stoke
- to fuel rumours/fears/suspicions
- Yesterday's meeting is likely to fuel further speculation about a takeover.
- Higher salaries helped to fuel inflation.
Extra Examples
- Crime is soaring fuelled by an influx of drugs.
- His absence has fuelled rumours of a split within the party.
- The consumer boom had been fuelled by a credit-led economy.
More Like This Consonant-doubling verbs
Consonant-doubling verbs
- bob
- club
- dub
- grab
- rub
- sob
- throb
- kid
- nod
- pad
- plod
- prod
- shred
- skid
- thud
- beg
- blog
- bug
- drag
- drug
- flag
- hug
- jog
- log
- mug
- nag
- plug
- bar
- confer
- infer
- occur
- prefer
- refer
- star
- stir
- transfer
- acquit
- admit
- allot
- chat
- clot
- commit
- jut
- knit
- pat
- regret
- rot
- spot
- submit
- appal
- cancel
- channel
- control
- counsel
- enrol
- equal
- excel
- fuel
- fulfil
- label
- level
- marvel
- model
- pedal
- quarrel
- signal
- travel

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French fouaille, based on Latin focus ‘hearth’ (in late Latin ‘fire’).