释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024fire /faɪr/USA pronunciation n., v., fired, fir•ing. n. - Chemistry[uncountable] a state, process, or instance of light, heat, and flame due to burning.
- [countable] a burning mass of fuel, such as on a hearth.
- the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.;
conflagration:[countable]several brush fires. - burning passion;
ardor; excitement:[uncountable]The general gave a speech that was full of fire and aroused his men. - the shooting or discharge of firearms:[uncountable]The enemy returned fire.
v. - to set on fire:[~ + object]It took several matches to fire the wood.
- Ceramics[~ + object] to bake (pottery) in a kiln.
- to arouse:[~ + object]a teacher who fired my interest in astronomy.
- to discharge (a gun): [~ + object]The officers fired their pistols at the suspect.[no object]Fire when ready.
- to dismiss from a job:[~ + object]The boss fired her.
Idioms- Idioms catch (on) fire, [no obj] to become ignited;
burn:The wet logs just wouldn't catch (on) fire. - Idioms play with fire, [no obj] to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter.
- Idioms under fire:
- under attack, esp. by military forces.
- under censure or criticism:a candidate under fire for allegations about his finances.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024fire (fīər),USA pronunciation n., v., fired, fir•ing. n. - 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.
- a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
- the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.;
conflagration. - heat used for cooking, esp. the lighted burner of a stove:Put the kettle on the fire.
- Ancient HistorySee Greek fire.
- flashing light;
luminous appearance. - brilliance, as of a gem.
- burning passion;
excitement or enthusiasm; ardor. - liveliness of imagination.
- fever or inflammation.
- severe trial or trouble;
ordeal. - exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
- strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
- a spark or sparks.
- the discharge of firearms:enemy fire.
- the effect of firing military weapons:to pour fire upon the enemy.
- British Termsa gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
- [Literary.]a luminous object, as a star:heavenly fires.
- Idioms 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.
- Idioms, Informal Terms build a fire under, [Informal.]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.
- Idioms catch fire:
- Also, catch on fire. to become ignited;
burn:The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette. - to create enthusiasm:His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
- Idioms fight fire with fire, to use the same tactics as one's opponent;
return like for like. - Idioms 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.
- Idioms hang fire:
- to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
- to be undecided, postponed, or delayed:The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
- Idioms miss fire:
- to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
- to fail to produce the desired effect;
be unsuccessful:He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
- Idioms on fire:
- ignited;
burning; afire. - eager;
ardent; zealous:They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
- Idioms play with fire, to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter:He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
- Idioms set fire to:
- to cause to burn;
ignite. - to excite;
arouse; inflame:The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.Also, set on fire.
- Idioms take fire:
- Idiomsto become ignited;
burn. - Idiomsto become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal:Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
- under fire:
- Idiomsunder attack, esp. by military forces.
- Idiomsunder censure or criticism:The school administration is under fire for its policies.
v.t. - to set on fire.
- to supply with fuel;
attend to the fire of:They fired the boiler. - to expose to the action of fire;
subject to heat. - to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing;
burn. - to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
- to inflame, as with passion;
fill with ardor. - to inspire.
- to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
- to discharge (a gun).
- to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
- to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
- to hurl;
throw:to fire a stone through a window. - to dismiss from a job.
- Veterinary Diseasesto 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.
- to drive out or away by or as by fire.
v.i. - to take fire;
be kindled. - to glow as if on fire.
- to become inflamed with passion;
become excited. - to shoot, as a gun.
- to discharge a gun:to fire at a fleeing enemy.
- to hurl a projectile.
- Music and Danceto ring the bells of a chime all at once.
- (of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
- Automotive(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
- Physiology(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
- Informal Terms fire away, to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions:The reporters fired away at the president.
- fire off:
- to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.):Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
- to write and send hurriedly:She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
- bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr (see pyro-); (verb, verbal) Middle English firen to kindle, inflame, derivative of the noun, nominal
fir′er, n. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: fire /faɪə/ n - the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
- a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
- (in combination): firewood, firelighter
- a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
- 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)
- catch fire ⇒ to ignite
- draw someone's fire ⇒ to attract the criticism or censure of someone
- hang fire ⇒ to delay firing
- to delay or be delayed
- no smoke without fire ⇒ the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
- on fire ⇒ in a state of ignition
- ardent or eager
- informal playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
- open fire ⇒ to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
- play with fire ⇒ to be involved in something risky
- set fire to, set on fire ⇒ Brit to ignite
- to arouse or excite
- set the world on fire, Brit set the Thames on fire, Scot set the heather on fire ⇒ informal to cause a great sensation
- under fire ⇒ being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
- (modifier) of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
vb - to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
- to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
- (transitive) informal to dismiss from employment
- (transitive) to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
- to kindle or be kindled; ignite
- (transitive) to provide with fuel: oil fires the heating system
- (intransitive) to tend a fire
- (transitive) to subject to heat
- (transitive) to heat slowly so as to dry
- (transitive) to arouse to strong emotion
- to glow or cause to glow
- (intransitive) (of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
- (intransitive) (of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
- another word for cauterize
- (intransitive) Austral informal (of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm
sentence substitute - a cry to warn others of a fire
- the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc
Etymology: Old English fӯr; related to Old Saxon fiur, Old Norse fūrr, Old High German fūir, Greek purˈfirer n |