flare-up

British  

noun

1. a sudden burst of fire or light

2. informal a sudden burst of emotion or violence

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verb

1. to burst suddenly into fire or light

2. informal to burst into anger

flare up Idioms  

1. Suddenly become angry, as in She flared up at the slightest provocation. This metaphoric expression, dating from the mid-1800s, transfers a sudden burst of flame to sudden rage.

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Example Sentences

That reduces China’s response time to a border flare-up and “pushes power projection in that horrid terrain,” Symon said.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Nonetheless, there are reasons to be cautious of another flare-up in repo as year-end approaches.”

From MarketWatch

As a standard precaution, the hoses had been left there in case hidden embers sparked a flare-up.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, underlying issues remain unresolved, suggesting a continued risk of a flare-up in tensions between Beijing and Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most important, the leaders said they would hit pause on measures that fueled the latest flare-up.

From Barron's

Related Words

• blowup
• epidemic
• eruption
• explosion
• outburst