fire engine

American  

[fahyuhr en-juhn] / ˈfaɪər ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

• fire engines
  plural

1. a vehicle equipped for firefighting, now usually a motor truck having a motor-driven pump for shooting water or chemical solutions at high pressure.

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fire engine British  

noun

1. a heavy road vehicle that carries firefighters and firefighting equipment to a fire

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fire engines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fire engine

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fire engine

I later learned that a few officers had arrived before our fire engine and were able to do the critical 360 reconnaissance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, was woken up at 05:30 by the sound of a fire engine.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

It said another factor was the lack of a transponder on the fire engine.

From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026

Atop the aerial ladder of a bright red fire engine, a firefighter wrangles a hose.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025

The sirens had begun drawing onlookers, and Molly could hear the distant wail of a fire engine.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny