balefire
Americannoun
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a large fire in the open air; bonfire.
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a signal fire; beacon.
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the fire of a funeral pile.
noun
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a bonfire
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a beacon fire
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a funeral pyre
Etymology
Origin of balefire
1250–1300; Middle English bal ( e ) fir, equivalent to bale (< Old Norse bāl funeral pyre) + fire fire; replacing Old English bǣlfȳr
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.
It was Hildeburh’s hest, at Hnaef’s own pyre the bairn of her body on brands to lay, his bones to burn, on the balefire placed, at his uncle’s side.
From Beowulf by Gummere, Francis Barton
"Ay, ay!" he said in the English, after a pause that kept the room more intent on his face than on the balefire.
From John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn by Munro, Neil
Like a balefire should the flame go up that says the king is dead.
From Erechtheus A Tragedy (New Edition) by Swinburne, Algernon Charles
The balefire smouldered in his eye, And still he muttered, hurtling by, "Excelsior!"
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, April 25, 1917 by Various
From Aeschere old, loyal councillor, life was gone; nor might they e’en, when morning broke, those Danish people, their death-done comrade burn with brands, on balefire lay the man they mourned.
From Beowulf by Gummere, Francis Barton
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.
