adverb
-
on fire; ablaze
-
intensely interested or passionate
he was afire with enthusiasm for the new plan
Etymology
Origin of afire
Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at a- 1, fire
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Further back, an immense 1859 storm known as the Carrington Event set afire recording tape at telegraph stations.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025
Then, there is allrounder Glenn Maxwell, who set the tournament afire with two stunning knocks.
From Washington Times • Nov. 13, 2023
“Space Loneliness No. 2” creates a frequency and vibration that sets me afire.
From New York Times • Jan. 4, 2023
Some original structures remain, including a red barn that was set afire during the Civil War, and the Founder’s Cottage, from the mid-1700s, that’s now an Airbnb.
From Washington Post • Aug. 24, 2022
I staked the dogs out among the willows, built afire in the cooker, and fed them some thick soup.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
