flame

[ fleym ]
See synonyms for: flameflamesflaming on Thesaurus.com

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

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

  1. any flamelike condition; glow; inflamed condition.

  2. brilliant light; scintillating luster.

  3. bright coloring; a streak or patch of color.

  4. intense ardor, zeal, or passion.

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

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

verb (used without object),flamed, flam·ing.
  1. to burn with a flame or flames; burst into flames; blaze.

  2. to glow like flame; shine brilliantly; flash.

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

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

verb (used with object),flamed, flam·ing.
  1. to subject to the action of flame or fire.

  2. to flambé.

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

Verb Phrases
  1. 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.

Origin of flame

1
First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English flaume, from Anglo-French, variant of flaumbe; Old French flambe, earlier flamble, from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma “flame” (see -ule); (verb) Middle English flaumen, from Anglo-French flaum(b)er; Old French flamber, from Latin flammāre, derivative of flamma

synonym study For flame

1. 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.

Other words for flame

Other words from flame

  • flamer, noun
  • flameless, adjective
  • flamelike, adjective
  • outflame, verb (used with object), out·flamed, out·flam·ing.
  • pre·flame, adjective
  • un·der·flame, noun

Words Nearby flame

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use flame in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flame

flame

/ (fleɪm) /


noun
  1. 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

  2. (often plural) the state or condition of burning with flames: to burst into flames

  1. a brilliant light; fiery glow

    • a strong reddish-orange colour

    • (as adjective): a flame carpet

  2. intense passion or ardour; burning emotion

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

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

verb
  1. to burn or cause to burn brightly; give off or cause to give off flame

  2. (intr) to burn or glow as if with fire; become red or fiery: his face flamed with anger

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

  2. (tr) to apply a flame to (something)

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

  4. informal to send an abusive message by electronic mail

Origin of flame

1
C14: from Anglo-French flaume, from Old French flambe, modification of flamble, from Latin flammula a little flame, from flamma flame

Derived forms of flame

  • flamer, noun
  • flameless, adjective
  • flamelet, noun
  • flamelike, adjective
  • flamy, adjective

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

Scientific definitions for flame

flame

[ flām ]


  1. 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.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other 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).

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.