Fire /(fīr)/

Fire

n.
  1. The evolution of light and heat in the combustion of bodies; combustion; state of ignition.
  2. Fuel in a state of combustion, as on a hearth, or in a stove or a furnace.
  3. The burning of a house or town; a conflagration.
  4. Anything which destroys or affects like fire.
  5. Ardor of passion, whether love or hate; excessive warmth; consuming violence of temper.
    he had fire in his temper.
  6. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm; capacity for ardor and zeal.
    And bless their critic with a poet's fire.
  7. Splendor; brilliancy; luster; hence, a star.
    Stars, hide your fires.
    As in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires.
  8. Torture by burning; severe trial or affliction.
  9. The discharge of firearms; firing; as, the troops were exposed to a heavy fire.

Phrases & Compounds
Blue fire
compositions of various combustible substances, as sulphur, niter, lampblack, etc., the flames of which are colored by various metallic salts, as those of antimony, strontium, barium, etc.
Fire alarm
A signal given on the breaking out of a fire.
Fire annihilator
a machine, device, or preparation to be kept at hand for extinguishing fire by smothering it with some incombustible vapor or gas, as carbonic acid.
Fire balloon
A balloon raised in the air by the buoyancy of air heated by a fire placed in the lower part<-- = hot-air balloon -->
Fire bar
a grate bar.
Fire basket
a portable grate; a cresset.
Fire beetle
See in the Vocabulary.
Fire blast
a disease of plants which causes them to appear as if burnt by fire.
Fire box
the chamber of a furnace, steam boiler, etc., for the fire.
Fire brick
a refractory brick, capable of sustaining intense heat without fusion, usually made of fire clay or of siliceous material, with some cementing substance, and used for lining fire boxes, etc.
Fire brigade
an organized body of men for extinguished fires.
Fire bucket
See under Bucket.
Fire bug
an incendiary; one who, from malice or through mania, persistently sets fire to property; a pyromaniac.
Fire clay
See under Clay.
Fire company
a company of men managing an engine in extinguishing fires.
Fire cross
See Fiery cross.
Fire damp
See under Damp.
Fire dog
See Firedog, in the Vocabulary.
Fire drill
A series of evolutions performed by fireman for practice
Fire eater
A juggler who pretends to eat fire.
Fire engine
a portable forcing pump, usually on wheels, for throwing water to extinguish fire.
Fire escape
a contrivance for facilitating escape from burning buildings.
Fire gilding
a mode of gilding with an amalgam of gold and quicksilver, the latter metal being driven off afterward by heat.
Fire gilt
gold laid on by the process of fire gilding.
Fire insurance
the act or system of insuring against fire; also, a contract by which an insurance company undertakes, in consideration of the payment of a premium or small percentage -- usually made periodically -- to indemnify an owner of property from loss by fire during a specified period.
Fire irons
utensils for a fireplace or grate, as tongs, poker, and shovel.
Fire main
a pipe for water, to be used in putting out fire.
Fire master
an artillery officer who formerly supervised the composition of fireworks.
Fire office
an office at which to effect insurance against fire.
Fire opal
a variety of opal giving firelike reflections.
Fire ordeal
an ancient mode of trial, in which the test was the ability of the accused to handle or tread upon red-hot irons.
Fire pan
a pan for holding or conveying fire, especially the receptacle for the priming of a gun.
Fire plug
a plug or hydrant for drawing water from the main pipes in a street, building, etc., for extinguishing fires.
Fire policy
the writing or instrument expressing the contract of insurance against loss by fire.
Fire pot
A small earthen pot filled with combustibles, formerly used as a missile in war.
Fire raft
a raft laden with combustibles, used for setting fire to an enemy's ships.
Fire roll
a peculiar beat of the drum to summon men to their quarters in case of fire.
Fire setting
the process of softening or cracking the working face of a lode, to facilitate excavation, by exposing it to the action of fire; -- now generally superseded by the use of explosives.
Fire ship
a vessel filled with combustibles, for setting fire to an enemy's ships.
Fire shovel
a shovel for taking up coals of fire.
Fire stink
the stench from decomposing iron pyrites, caused by the formation of hydrogen sulfide.
Fire surface
the surfaces of a steam boiler which are exposed to the direct heat of the fuel and the products of combustion; heating surface.
Fire swab
a swab saturated with water, for cooling a gun in action and clearing away particles of powder, etc.
Fire teaser
in England, the fireman of a steam emgine.
Fire water
a strong alcoholic beverage; -- so called by the American Indians.
Fire worship
the worship of fire, which prevails chiefly in Persia, among the followers of Zoroaster, called Chebers, or Guebers, and among the Parsees of India.
Greek fire
See under Greek.
On fire
burning; hence, ardent; passionate; eager; zealous.
Running fire
the rapid discharge of firearms in succession by a line of troops.
St. Anthony's fire
erysipelas; -- an eruptive fever which St. Anthony was supposed to cure miraculously.
St. Elmo's fire
See under Saint Elmo.
To set on fire
to inflame; to kindle.
To take fire
to begin to burn; to fly into a passion.

Fire

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Fired; p. pr. & vb. n. Fring

  1. To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile.
  2. To subject to intense heat; to bake; to burn in a kiln; as, to fire pottery.
  3. To inflame; to irritate, as the passions; as, to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge.
    Love had fired my mind.
  4. To animate; to give life or spirit to; as, to fire the genius of a young man.
  5. To feed or serve the fire of; as, to fire a boiler.
  6. To light up as if by fire; to illuminate.
    [The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines.
  7. To cause to explode; as, to fire a torpedo; to disharge; as, to fire a rifle, pistol, or cannon; to fire cannon balls, rockets, etc.
  8. To drive by fire. [Obs.]
    Till my bad angel fire my good one out.
  9. To cauterize. (Far.)
  10. to dismiss from employment, a post, or other job; to cause (a person) to cease being an employee; -- of a person. The act of firing is usually performed by that person's supervisor or employer.

Phrases & Compounds
To fire up
to light up the fires of, as of an engine;

Fire

v. i.
  1. To take fire; to be kindled; to kindle.
  2. To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
  3. To discharge artillery or firearms; as, they fired on the town.

Phrases & Compounds
To fire up
to grow irritated or angry.