fire
Other forms: fired; fires; firing
If you gather kindling and logs and burn them, then you've made a fire. For safety, you should make your fire in a fire pit or fireplace, but for fun, you can toast marshmallows over the fire.
As a verb, fire can mean to discharge a weapon. Your hometown might fire a cannon on the common each year to celebrate the Fourth of July. Rather than use a real cannonball, they probably fire it with blanks. The verb fire can also mean to terminate from a position of employment. It's no fun to have to fire someone, especially the guy you fire is your brother.
Definitions of fire
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the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke“fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries”
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blaze, blazing
a strong flame that burns brightly
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flare
a sudden burst of flame
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ignition
the process of initiating combustion or catching fire
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spontaneous combustion
ignition of a substance (as oily rags) resulting from an internal oxidation process
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type of:
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burning, combustion
a process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light
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once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
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type of:
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element
one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe
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element
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the event of something burning (often destructive)“they lost everything in the fire”
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backfire
a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path
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balefire, bonfire
a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration
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brush fire
an uncontrolled fire that consumes brush and shrubs and bushes
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campfire
a small outdoor fire for warmth or cooking (as at a camp)
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conflagration, inferno
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
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forest fire
an uncontrolled fire in a wooded area
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grassfire, prairie fire
an uncontrolled fire in a grassy area
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smolder, smoulder
a fire that burns with thick smoke but no flame
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smudge
a smoky fire to drive away insects
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crown fire
a forest fire that advances with great speed jumping from crown to crown ahead of the ground fire
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ground fire
a forest fire that burns the humus; may not appear on the surface
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surface fire
a forest fire that burns only the surface litter and undergrowth
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wildfire
a destructing burning that is raging and rapidly spreading
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type of:
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happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent
an event that happens
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fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking“put the kettle on the fire”“barbecue over an open fire”
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type of:
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fuel
a substance that can be consumed to produce energy
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fuel
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a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning“they sat by the fire and talked”
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types:
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cookfire
a fire for cooking
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type of:
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fireplace, hearth, open fireplace
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
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cookfire
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bake in a kiln so as to harden“fire pottery”
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type of:
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bake
cook and make edible by putting in a hot oven
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bake
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provide with fuel
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destroy by fire
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burn, combust
undergo combustion
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burn, incinerate
cause to undergo combustion
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backfire
set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire
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cremate
reduce to ashes
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torch
burn maliciously, as by arson
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scathe, scorch
destroy completely by or as if by fire
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burn, combust
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the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy“hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes”“they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire”
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synonyms:
firing
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antiaircraft fire
firing at enemy aircraft
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barrage, barrage fire, battery, bombardment, shelling
the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target
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broadside
the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship
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burst, fusillade, salvo, volley
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
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call fire
fire delivered on a specific target in response to a request from the supported unit
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cover, covering fire
fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations
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concentrated fire, massed fire
fire from two or more weapons directed at a single target or area (as fire by batteries of two or more warships)
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counterfire
fire intended to neutralize or destroy enemy weapons
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counterpreparation fire
intensive prearranged fire delivered when the immanence of enemy attack is discovered
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crossfire
fire from two or more points so that the lines of fire cross
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destruction fire
fire delivered for the sole purpose of destroying material objects
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direct fire
fire delivered on a target that is visible to the person aiming it
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distributed fire
fire dispersed so as to engage effectively an area target
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fratricide, friendly fire
fire that injures or kills an ally
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hostile fire
fire that injures or kills an enemy
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grazing fire
fire approximately parallel to the ground; the center of the cone of fire does rise above 1 meter from the ground
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harassing fire
fire designed to disturb the rest of enemy troops and to curtail movement and to lower enemy morale
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indirect fire
fire delivered on a target that is not itself used as the point of aim for the weapons
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interdiction fire
fire directed to an area to prevent the enemy from using that area
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neutralization fire
fire that is delivered in order to render the target ineffective or unusable
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observed fire
fire for which the point of impact (the burst) can be seen by an observer; fire can be adjusted on the basis of the observations
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preparation fire
fire delivered on a target in preparation for an assault
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radar fire
gunfire aimed a target that is being tracked by radar
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registration fire
fire delivered to obtain accurate data for subsequent effective engagement of targets
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scheduled fire
prearranged fire delivered at a predetermined time
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searching fire
fire distributed in depth by successive changes in the elevation of the gun
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supporting fire
fire delivered by supporting units to protect or assist a unit in combat
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suppressive fire
fire on or about a weapon system to degrade its performance below what is needed to fulfill its mission objectives
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unobserved fire
fire for which the point of impact (the bursts) cannot be observed
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artillery fire, cannon fire
fire delivered by artillery
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close supporting fire
fire on enemy troops or weapons or positions that are near the supported unit and are the most immediate and serious threat to it
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deep supporting fire
fire on objectives not in the immediate vicinity of your forces but with the objective of destroying enemy reserves and weapons and interfering with the enemy command and supply and communications
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direct supporting fire
fire delivered in support of part of a force (as opposed to general supporting fire delivered in support of the force as a whole)
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counterbattery fire
fire delivered to neutralize or destroy indirect fire weapon systems
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counterbombardment
bombardment intended to destroy or neutralize enemy weapons
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countermortar fire
mortar fire intended to destroy or neutralize enemy weapons
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cannonade, drumfire
intense and continuous artillery fire
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high-angle fire
fire from a cannon that is fired at an elevation greater than that for the maximum range
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mortar fire
artillery fire delivered by a mortar
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zone fire
artillery or mortar fire delivered in a constant direction at several quadrant elevations
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cause to go off“fire a gun”“fire a bullet”
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synonyms:
discharge
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types:
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pop
fire a weapon with a loud explosive noise
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let drive, let fly, loose off
fire as from a gun
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blast, shoot
fire a shot
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fusillade
attack with fusillade
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blaze, blaze away
shoot rapidly and repeatedly
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overshoot
shoot beyond or over (a target)
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sharpshoot, snipe
aim and shoot with great precision
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open fire
start firing a weapon
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gun
shoot with a gun
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pump
deliver forth
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start firing a weapon
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go off or discharge
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a severe trial“he went through fire and damnation”
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type of:
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trial, tribulation, visitation
an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
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trial, tribulation, visitation
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intense adverse criticism
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feelings of great warmth and intensity
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types:
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zeal
excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end
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type of:
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passion, passionateness
a strong feeling or emotion
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zeal
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call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
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strike a chord, touch a chord
evoke a reaction, response, or emotion
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ask for, invite
increase the likelihood of
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draw
elicit responses, such as objections, criticism, applause, etc.
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rekindle
arouse again
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infatuate
arouse unreasoning love or passion in and cause to behave in an irrational way
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prick
cause a sharp emotional pain
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fire up, heat, ignite, inflame, stir up, wake
arouse or excite feelings and passions
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excite, shake, shake up, stimulate, stir
stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of
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excite
arouse or elicit a feeling
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anger
make angry
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discomfit, discompose, disconcert, rattle, untune, upset
cause to lose one's composure
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shame
cause to be ashamed
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bruise, hurt, injure, offend, spite, wound
hurt the feelings of
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overcome, overpower, overtake, overwhelm, sweep over, whelm
overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
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interest
excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
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beg the question
elicit or call to mind a question, especially one that has not yet been addressed
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stoke
increase or intensify an emotion or response
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devastate
overwhelm or overpower
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absorb, engage, engross, occupy
consume all of one's attention or time
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clutch, get hold of, seize
affect
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affront, diss, insult
treat, mention, or speak to rudely
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ferment
work up into agitation or excitement
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fuel
stimulate
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arouse, excite, sex, turn on, wind up
stimulate sexually
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affright, fright, frighten, scare
cause fear in
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enervate, faze, unnerve, unsettle
disturb the composure of
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dissolve
cause to lose control emotionally
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combust
cause to become violent or angry
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miff
cause to be annoyed
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gall, irk
irritate or vex
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exasperate, incense, infuriate
make furious
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madden
make mad
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offend, pique
cause to feel resentment or indignation
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bemuse, bewilder, discombobulate, throw
cause to be confused emotionally
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abash, embarrass
cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
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discountenance
look with disfavor on
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anguish, hurt, pain
cause emotional anguish or make miserable
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lacerate
deeply hurt the feelings of; distress
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sting
cause an emotional pain, as if by stinging
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enrage
put into a rage; make violently angry
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thrill, tickle, vibrate
feel sudden intense sensation or emotion
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afflict
cause great unhappiness for; distress
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abase, chagrin, humble, humiliate, mortify
cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
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invite, tempt
give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting
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kill
overwhelm with hilarity, pleasure, or admiration
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benight
overtake with darkness or night
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knock out
overwhelm with admiration
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stagger
astound or overwhelm, as with shock
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lock
hold fast (in a certain state)
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elate, intoxicate, lift up, pick up, uplift
fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
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animate, enliven, exalt, inspire, invigorate
heighten or intensify
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titillate
excite pleasurably or erotically
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aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate
exasperate or irritate
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fascinate, grip, spellbind, transfix
render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe
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enthuse
cause to feel enthusiasm
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drive out or away by or as if by fire“The soldiers were fired”“Surrender fires the cold skepticism”
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type of:
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chase away, dispel, drive away, drive off, drive out, run off, turn back
force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
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chase away, dispel, drive away, drive off, drive out, run off, turn back
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terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position“The boss fired his secretary today”
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synonyms:
can, dismiss, displace, force out, give notice, give the axe, give the sack, sack, send away, terminate
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retire
make (someone) retire
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pension off
let go from employment with an attractive pension
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clean out
force out
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furlough, lay off
dismiss, usually for economic reasons
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squeeze out
force out
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dismiss, drop, send away, send packing
stop associating with
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superannuate
retire and pension (someone) because of age or physical inability
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downsize
dismiss from work
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type of:
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remove
remove from a position or an office
Pronunciation
US
/ˈfaɪər/
UK
/faɪə/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fire'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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