flame

[ fleym ]

/ fleɪm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flame ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

burning gas or vapor, as from wood or coal, that is undergoing combustion; a portion of ignited gas or vapor.

Often flames. the state or condition of blazing combustion: to burst into flames.

any flamelike condition; glow; inflamed condition.

brilliant light; scintillating luster.

bright coloring; a streak or patch of color.

flame color.

intense ardor, zeal, or passion.

Informal. an object of one's passionate love; sweetheart: He's taking out his new flame tonight.

Computer Slang. an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

verb (used without object), flamed, flam·ing.

to burn with a flame or flames; burst into flames; blaze.

to glow like flame; shine brilliantly; flash.

to burn or burst forth with strong emotion; break into open anger, indignation, etc.

Computer Slang. to post an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

verb (used with object), flamed, flam·ing.

to subject to the action of flame or fire.

to flambé.

Computer Slang. to insult or criticize angrily in an online post or comment.

Verb Phrases

flame out,

(of a jet engine) to cease to function due to an interruption of the fuel supply or to faulty combustion.
to burst out in or as if in flames.

Nearby words

flambeau, flamborough head, flamboyance, flamboyant, flambé, flame, flame azalea, flame carbon, flame cell, flame color, flame cultivator

Origin of flame

1300–50; (noun) Middle English flaume < Anglo-French, variant of flaumbe; Old French flambe, earlier flamble < Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma flame (see -ule); (v.) Middle English flaumen < Anglo-French flaum(b)er; Old French flamber < Latin flammāre, derivative of flamma

SYNONYMS FOR flame

1 fire. Flame, blaze, conflagration refer to the light and heat given off by combustion. Flame is the common word, referring to a combustion of any size: the light of a match flame. Blaze usually denotes a quick, hot, bright, and comparatively large flame: The fire burst into a blaze. Conflagration refers to destructive flames which spread over a considerable area: A conflagration destroyed Chicago.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flame ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

flam·er, nounflame·less, adjectiveflame·like, adjectiveout·flame, verb (used with object), out·flamed, out·flam·ing.

pre·flame, adjectiveun·der·flame, noun

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

Examples from the Web for flame

Hatuey asked the religious man holding the flame if indeed any Christians were in heaven.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An orange blossom of flame exploded on our screens as a new reality dawned.
The Resilient City: New York After 9/11|John Avlon|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What if it was the divine being who was a symbol for the original object of worship: the flame?
Spirit Tripping With Colombian Shamans|Chris Allbritton|August 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That is, until a rough-tongued Scotsman rekindled the flame.
Queen Victoria’s Secret Scottish Sex Castle|Clive Irving|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I like the taste of it as well once you extinguish the flame.
James McAvoy on ‘Filth,’ His Wild Bachelor Party, and BB Gun Fights with Jennifer Lawrence|Marlow Stern|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet the keenness with which immorality of the particular kind is watched fans the flame of lust.
Expositor's Bible: The Book of Job|Robert Watson
The lattice work of the window had already caught fire, and a sheet of flame lit up the street.
Jack Archer|G. A. Henty
Could he reverse the steering-gear in all that flame and smoke?
Egholm and his God|Johannes Buchholtz
It needed but a breath to fan the flame to a terrible conflagration.
Sustained honor|John R. Musick,
Is it not a flame, decreed to take what is its own without waiting?
The Created Legend|Feodor Sologub

British Dictionary definitions for flame

flame

/ (fleɪm) /

noun

a hot usually luminous body of burning gas often containing small incandescent particles, typically emanating in flickering streams from burning material or produced by a jet of ignited gas

(often plural) the state or condition of burning with flamesto burst into flames

a brilliant light; fiery glow

a strong reddish-orange colour
(as adjective)a flame carpet

intense passion or ardour; burning emotion

informal a lover or sweetheart (esp in the phrase an old flame)

informal an abusive message sent by electronic mail, esp to express anger or criticism of an internet user

verb

to burn or cause to burn brightly; give off or cause to give off flame

(intr) to burn or glow as if with fire; become red or fieryhis face flamed with anger

(intr) to show great emotion; become angry or excited

(tr) to apply a flame to (something)

(tr) archaic to set on fire, either physically or with emotion

informal to send an abusive message by electronic mail

Word Origin for flame

C14: from Anglo-French flaume, from Old French flambe, modification of flamble, from Latin flammula a little flame, from flamma flame

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

Word Origin and History for flame (1 of 2)

flame

mid-14c., from Anglo-French flaume, Old French flamme (10c.), from Latin flammula "small flame," diminutive of flamma "flame, blazing fire," from PIE *bhleg- "to shine, flash," from root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn" (see bleach (v.)).

The meaning "a sweetheart" is attested from 1640s; the figurative sense of "burning passion" was in Middle English. Flame-thrower (1917) translates German flammenwerfer (1915).

Word Origin and History for flame (1 of 2)

flame

early 14c., flamen, from Old French flamer, from flamme (see flame (n.)). The sense of "unleash invective on a computer network" is from 1980s. Related: Flamed; flaming.

Science definitions for flame

flame

[ flām ]

The hot, glowing mixture of burning gases and tiny particles that arises from combustion. Flames get their light either from the fluorescence of molecules or ions that have become excited, or from the incandescence of solid particles involved in the combustion process, such as the carbon particles from a candle.

Idioms and Phrases with flame

flame

see add fuel to the fire (flames); burst into (flames); fan the flames; go up in flames; shoot down (in flames).

flame

noun

verb (used without object), flamed, flam·ing.

verb (used with object), flamed, flam·ing.

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Origin of flame

Examples from the Web for flame

British Dictionary definitions for flame

flame

noun

verb

Word Origin for flame

Word Origin and History for flame (1 of 2)

flame

Word Origin and History for flame (1 of 2)

flame

Science definitions for flame

flame

Idioms and Phrases with flame

flame