blaze

[ bleyz ]

/ bleɪz /

noun

a bright flame or fire: the welcome blaze of the hearth.

a bright, hot gleam or glow: the blaze of day.

a sparkling brightness: a blaze of jewels.

a sudden, intense outburst, as of fire, passion, or fury: to unleash a blaze of pent-up emotions; a blaze of glory.

blazes, Informal. hell: Go to blazes!

verb (used without object), blazed, blaz·ing.

to burn brightly (sometimes followed by away, up, forth): The bonfire blazed away for hours. The dry wood blazed up at the touch of a match.

to shine like flame (sometimes followed by forth): Their faces blazed with enthusiasm.

to burn with intense feeling or passion (sometimes followed by up): He blazed up at the insult.

to shoot steadily or continuously (usually followed by away): The contestants blazed away at the clay pigeons.

to be brilliantly conspicuous.

Nearby words

blaw, blaxican, blaxploitation, blaydon, blazar, blaze, blaze a trail, blaze orange, blazer, blazes, blazing

Origin of blaze

before 1000; Middle English, Old English blase torch, flame; cognate with Middle High German blas torch

SYNONYMS FOR blaze

1 See flame.

Definition for blazes (2 of 3)

blaze

[ bleyz ]

/ bleɪz /

noun

a spot or mark made on a tree, as by painting or notching or by chipping away a piece of the bark, to indicate a trail or boundary.

a white area down the center of the face of a horse, cow, etc.

verb (used with object), blazed, blaz·ing.

to mark with blazes: to blaze a trail.

to lead in forming or finding (a new method, course, etc.): His research in rocketry blazed the way for space travel.

Origin of blaze

1655–65; akin to Old Norse blesi, Dutch bles, German Blässe white mark on a beast's face, and to German blass pale

Definition for blazes (3 of 3)

blaze

[ bleyz ]

/ bleɪz /

verb (used with object), blazed, blaz·ing.

to make known; proclaim; publish: Headlines blazed the shocking news.

Obsolete. to blow, as from a trumpet.

Origin of blaze

1350–1400; Middle English blasen < Middle Dutch; cognate with Old Norse blāsa to blow. See blast

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for blazes

But I have a better question: What in blazes does Poland have to do with this anyway?
Take John McCain’s Russia Advice and You Might Get Another Cold War|Michael Tomasky|March 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Crews tried to contain the blazes, but as the days progressed, the number of fires was simply out of their control.
L.A. Riots Anniversary: 8 Infamous Videos|Brittany Jones-Cooper|April 27, 2012|DAILY BEAST
One firefighter was injured while fighting one of the blazes and was taken to a local hospital.
Inside Los Angeles Arson Suspect Harry Burkhart’s Arrest|Christine Pelisek|January 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
One firefighter was injured while fighting one of the blazes and taken to a local hospital.
Los Angeles Fires: Officials Race to Identify the Arsonist|Christine Pelisek|December 31, 2011|DAILY BEAST

You bethrayed the masther's house, an' Miss Oona, too, you villin o' blazes!
Fardorougha, The Miser|William Carleton
You know, they are tin tubes with spirits of wine which blazes up.
Monsieur, Madame and Bebe, Complete|Gustave Droz
Gawd love you, guv'nor, they'd fight 'ell's blazes, them chaps would!
Changing Winds|St. John G. Ervine
In the very same moment his glance died away like a too sudden fire that blazes up and falls again.
A Tour Through The Pyrenees|Hippolyte Adolphe Taine
You rub each other the wrong way over little things that don't really matter, but that irritate like blazes.
Changing Winds|St. John G. Ervine

British Dictionary definitions for blazes (1 of 4)

blazes

/ (ˈbleɪzɪz) /

pl n

slang a euphemistic word for hell

informal (intensifier)to run like blazes; what the blazes are you doing?

go to blazes! slang go to hell!

British Dictionary definitions for blazes (2 of 4)

blaze

/ (bleɪz) /

noun

a strong fire or flame

a very bright light or glare

an outburst (of passion, acclaim, patriotism, etc)

brilliance; brightness

verb (intr)

to burn fiercely

to shine brightly

(often foll by up) to become stirred, as with anger or excitement

(usually foll by away) to shoot continuously

Word Origin for blaze

Old English blæse

British Dictionary definitions for blazes (3 of 4)

blaze

/ (bleɪz) /

noun

a mark, usually indicating a path, made on a tree, esp by chipping off the bark

a light-coloured marking on the face of a domestic animal, esp a horse

verb (tr)

to indicate or mark (a tree, path, etc) with a blaze

blaze a trail to explore new territories, areas of knowledge, etc, in such a way that others can follow

Word Origin for blaze

C17: probably from Middle Low German bles white marking; compare blemish

British Dictionary definitions for blazes (4 of 4)

blaze

/ (bleɪz) /

verb

(tr often foll by abroad) to make widely known; proclaim

Word Origin for blaze

C14: from Middle Dutch blāsen, from Old High German blāsan; related to Old Norse blāsa

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with blazes

blaze

In addition to the idiom beginning with blaze

blaze a trail

also see:

hot as blazes
like greased lightning (blazes)