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Showing results for open fire.
Synonyms

open fire

Idioms  
  1. Begin a verbal attack, as in In her second letter to the editor she opened fire, saying the reporter had deliberately misquoted her. This idiom alludes to discharging a firearm. [Mid-1800s]


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.

See Examples For:

Their egg dishes are excellent, the burger is top-notch and the roasted chicken, which is cooked over an open fire in the kitchen, is superb.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 13, 2026

Oli has denied he had told the police to open fire on protesters.

From Barron's Feb. 16, 2026

Williams was on a mission near the peninsula’s north when he saw seven of the Soviet jets appear and eventually open fire, according to a Defense Department account.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 22, 2025

Hearing Nat King Cole croon about chestnuts roasting on an open fire dozens of times is one of the many reminders that fireplaces are luxuries most of us don’t have.

From Salon Dec. 18, 2025

He stared a moment at the open fire, before he threw one in.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt

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