fire
noun
a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
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Fired.
fire
1 American
[fahyuhr]
/ faɪər /
noun
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fires
plural
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a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
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a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
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the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
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heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove.
Put the kettle on the fire.
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flashing light; luminous appearance.
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brilliance, as of a gem.
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burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
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liveliness of imagination.
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fever or inflammation.
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severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
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exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
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strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
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a spark or sparks.
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the discharge of firearms.
enemy fire.
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the effect of firing military weapons.
to pour fire upon the enemy.
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British. a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
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Literary. a luminous object, as a star.
heavenly fires.
verb (used with object)
fired,
firing
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to set on fire.
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to supply with fuel or attend to the fire of (often followed byup ).
They fired the boiler.
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to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
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to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
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to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
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to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor (often followed byup ).
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to inspire.
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to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
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to discharge (a gun).
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to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
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to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
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to cause (a device, machine, etc.) to start working (usually followed byup ).
I just fired up my new laptop.
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to hurl; throw.
to fire a stone through a window.
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to dismiss from a job.
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Veterinary Medicine. to apply a heated iron to (the skin) in order to create a local inflammation of the superficial structures, with the intention of favorably affecting deeper inflammatory processes.
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to drive out or away by or as by fire.
verb (used without object)
fired,
firing
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to take fire; be kindled.
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to glow as if on fire.
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to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
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to shoot, as a gun.
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to discharge a gun.
to fire at a fleeing enemy.
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to hurl a projectile.
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Music. to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
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(of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
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(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
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(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
adjective
verb phrase
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fire off
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to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.).
Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
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to write and send hurriedly.
She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
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fire away to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions.
The reporters fired away at the president.
idioms
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fight fire with fire, to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
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take fire,
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to become ignited; burn.
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to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal.
Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
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set fire to, Also set on fire.
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to cause to burn; ignite.
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to excite; arouse; inflame.
The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
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play with fire, to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter.
He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
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build a fire under, to cause or urge to take action, make a decision quickly, or work faster.
If somebody doesn't build a fire under that committee, it will never reach a decision.
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catch (on) fire, to become ignited; burn: The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette.
The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
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between two fires, under physical or verbal attack from two or more sides simultaneously.
The senator is between two fires because of his stand on the bill.
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hang fire,
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to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
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to be undecided, postponed, or delayed.
The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
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go through fire and water, to brave any danger or endure any trial.
He said he would go through fire and water to win her hand.
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miss fire,
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to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
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to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful.
He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
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on fire,
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ignited; burning; afire.
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eager; ardent; zealous.
They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
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under fire,
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under attack, especially by military forces.
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under censure or criticism.
The school administration is under fire for its policies.
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catch fire, to create enthusiasm.
His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
FIRE
2
American
[fahyuhr]
/ faɪər /
abbreviation
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finance, insurance, and real estate: the sector of the economy that revolves around financial transactions of various kinds made by professional agents for their clients.
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financial independence, retire early: a movement among relatively young, well-paid professionals, especially those working in the tech industry, to achieve financial independence and retire early by radically cutting expenses and investing as much of their income and savings as possible.
verb (used without object)
FIREd,
FIREing
fire
British
/ faɪə /
noun
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the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
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a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
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( in combination )
firewood
firelighter
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a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
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a device for heating a room, etc
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something resembling a fire in light or brilliance
a diamond's fire
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a flash or spark of or as if of fire
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the act of discharging weapons, artillery, etc
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the shells, etc, fired
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a burst or rapid volley
a fire of questions
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intense passion; ardour
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liveliness, as of imagination, thought, etc
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a burning sensation sometimes produced by drinking strong alcoholic liquor
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fever and inflammation
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a severe trial or torment (esp in the phrase go through fire and water )
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to ignite
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to attract the criticism or censure of someone
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to delay firing
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to delay or be delayed
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the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
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in a state of ignition
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ardent or eager
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informal playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
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to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
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to be involved in something risky
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to ignite
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to arouse or excite
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informal to cause a great sensation
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being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
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(modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius Compare earth air water
verb
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to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
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to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
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informal (tr) to dismiss from employment
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(tr) ceramics to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
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to kindle or be kindled; ignite
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(tr) to provide with fuel
oil fires the heating system
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(intr) to tend a fire
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(tr) to subject to heat
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(tr) to heat slowly so as to dry
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(tr) to arouse to strong emotion
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to glow or cause to glow
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(intr) (of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
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(intr) (of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
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vet science another word for cauterize
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informal (intr) (of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm
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a cry to warn others of a fire
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the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc
fire
More Idioms
Usage
What is fire? Fire is what happens when a material is ignited and combined with oxygen, resulting in combustion. This results in light, heat, and a visible effect that usually appears as orange or yellow flames. Fire typically requires three ingredients: heat, fuel (something to burn), and oxygen. Fire is hard to describe since it’s different from the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of matter we’re used to observing (fire is usually a mixture of hot gases, but sometimes it’s a plasma, depending on what’s burning). But you know it when you see it: if you’ve ever lit a match or candle or burned wood in a fireplace, you’ve created fire. We describe an instance of fire as a fire, as in a fire in the fireplace or a house fire. If something is burning or consumed by fire, we say it is on fire, as in The stove is on fire. Fire can also be used metaphorically, such as to refer to intensity or extreme passion, as in The fire in my heart. It’s also commonly used in many idioms and expressions (such as fight fire with fire and playing with fire), and, more recently, as a slang term meaning awesome (as in Those shoes are fire). As a verb, fire commonly means to discharge a gun or to dismiss someone from a job. Fire has many other, more specific meanings as both a noun and a verb, and most of them are related in some way to literal fire. Example: The boss fired Dave after he fired a starter pistol inside the office, causing the ceiling to catch on fire.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fire
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr ( see pyro-); (verb) Middle English firen “to kindle, inflame,” derivative of the noun; see igneous ( def. )
Explanation
If you gather kindling and logs and burn them, then you've made a fire. For safety, you should make your fire in a fire pit or fireplace, but for fun, you can toast marshmallows over the fire. As a verb, fire can mean to discharge a weapon. Your hometown might fire a cannon on the common each year to celebrate the Fourth of July. Rather than use a real cannonball, they probably fire it with blanks. The verb fire can also mean to terminate from a position of employment. It's no fun to have to fire someone, especially the guy you fire is your brother.
Vocabulary lists containing fire
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:
The natural chaparral’s ability to quickly regrow has enabled such a quick fire return interval in the Santa Monica Mountains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Within just a few years, the land can support fire again.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
The seeds of some shrub species, like California lilac, are triggered to start growing by the heat of fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
After about a decade, the chaparral reaches nearly the same density as before the blaze, fire ecologists say.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Dad had hitched Siren and Stentor to the rock sled, so they’d be ready to drag the carcasses up to the fire.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
ACA is holding your feet to the FIRE.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
Kathleen McDowell, a money coach and founder of the blog “Live Richly,” says she has noticed people these days have a more tailored approach to FIRE.
From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026
It looks like they are making an effort to protect free speech, said Sean Stevens, who runs the rankings for FIRE.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
Captain Marodi served over 30 years with CAL FIRE, primarily in Riverside County, but also serving time in San Bernardino and San Diego Counties.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025
For van Helmont, Air was one of the four 'Elements', EARTH, WATER, AIR, and FIRE.
From Man or Matter by Ernst Lehrs
A statewide Cal Fire program risks making fires worse by removing native chaparral and allowing the spread of more flammable grasses, a court ruled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Singapore said Friday it would issue warnings to seven companies in Indonesia it identified as responsible for the fires.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
The fires are being fanned by the Santa Ana winds, which normally begin during cooler months from late September to May.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
A huge league game in Orange County between host San Clemente and Mission Viejo has been canceled “due to close proximity fires and families affected,” according to an X post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Eventually, the magazines fell apart and were used to light fires.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
In Paris, police fired a water cannon and teargas after hundreds of protesters, most wearing face masks and some setting off fireworks, confronted them at several locations, AFP reporters saw.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
However, after offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. was fired after a 3-9 season, his outlook at Pitt went from bad to worse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Katie Zacharia became White House press secretary just five days ago, but after President Donald Trump told reporters she should “reconsider,” the New York Times reported she’d been fired Friday afternoon.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
In an interview with the Guardian, external in 2024, he revealed he was fired from that job because he was spending too much time watching games.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Penelope squirmed and wondered if she were about to be fired.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
FBI Director James Comey saw the news of his firing on TV news reports.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Fans chanted this month for the firing of football coach Lincoln Riley — after years of underachieving — though the Trojans have defeated Washington and Penn State after an Oregon loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
But it’s disheartening that Mr. Kozinski sees the Christa Pike case not as a reason to end executions but instead a reason to switch to a different method: firing squads.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
OpenAI on Friday hit back at three former safety researchers who accused the ChatGPT-maker of firing them for warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
From the moment I pressed the firing button the following weekend, I knew it was our best rocket yet.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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