Blaze /(blāz)/

Blaze

n.
  1. A stream of gas or vapor emitting light and heat in the process of combustion; a bright flame.
  2. Intense, direct light accompanied with heat; as, to seek shelter from the blaze of the sun.
    O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon!
  3. A bursting out, or active display of any quality; an outburst; a brilliant display.
    For what is glory but the blaze of fame?
  4. A white spot on the forehead of a horse.
  5. A spot made on trees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark.
    Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road.
    — Carlton.

Phrases & Compounds
In a blaze
on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exasperated.
Like blazes
furiously; rapidly.
Syn. -- Blaze, Flame.

A blaze and a flame are both produced by burning gas. In blaze the idea of light rapidly evolved is prominent, with or without heat; as, the blaze of the sun or of a meteor. Flame includes a stronger notion of heat; as, he perished in the flames.

Blaze

v. i.

imp. & p. p. Blazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blazing

  1. To shine with flame; to glow with flame; as, the fire blazes.
  2. To send forth or reflect glowing or brilliant light; to show a blaze.
    And far and wide the icy summit blazed.
  3. To be resplendent.

Phrases & Compounds
To blaze away
to discharge a firearm, or to continue firing; -- said esp. of a number of persons, as a line of soldiers. Also used (fig.) of speech or action.

Blaze

v. t.
  1. To mark (a tree) by chipping off a piece of the bark.
    I found my way by the blazed trees.
    — Hoffman.
  2. To designate by blazing; to mark out, as by blazed trees; as, to blaze a line or path.
    Champollion died in 1832, having done little more than blaze out the road to be traveled by others.
    — Nott.

Blaze

v. t.
  1. To make public far and wide; to make known; to render conspicuous.
    On charitable lists he blazed his name.
    — Pollok.
    To blaze those virtues which the good would hide.
  2. To blazon. (Her.) [Obs.]