fire up
Idioms-
Inflame with enthusiasm, anger, or another strong emotion, as in Her speech fired up the crowd in favor of her proposals . This expression dates from the early 1800s, when it referred literally to starting a fire in a furnace or boiler; its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.
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Light a pipe, cigar, or cigarette, as in Do you mind if I fire up? [Late 1800s] A more common term, however, is light up , def. 2.
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Start the ignition of an engine, as in Whenever he tried to fire up the motor, it stalled . [Mid-1900s]
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.
“Pretty cool,” Chesney said after a drizzly two hours which saw players on both sides of the ball make big plays to fire up their respective sidelines.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
For now, China looks better-placed than most of Asia as it can insulate from the price shock thanks to factors like sizable strategic reserves and the ability to fire up coal capacity if it needs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
You might go out to work and let the house cool down; then return home and fire up the furnace.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
That routine was becoming normal, he said, though the engine crew was being kept on standby, ready to "fire up our engines" in case of emergency.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
Then I take hold of the starter cord and pull, praying my outboard motor will fire up on the first go.
From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick
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.
