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inflame

[in-fleym]
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verb (used with object), in·flamed, in·flam·ing.
  1. to kindle or excite (passions, desires, etc.).
  2. to arouse to a high degree of passion or feeling: His harangue inflamed the rabble.
  3. to incite or rouse, as to violence: His words inflamed the angry mob to riot.
  4. (of an emotion, as rage) to cause to redden or grow heated: Uncontrollable rage inflamed his face.
  5. to cause inflammation in: Her eyes were inflamed with crying.
  6. to raise (the blood, bodily tissue, etc.) to a morbid or feverish heat.
  7. to set aflame, ablaze, or afire; set on fire.
  8. to redden with or as with flames: The setting sun inflames the sky.
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verb (used without object), in·flamed, in·flam·ing.
  1. to burst into flame; take fire.
  2. to be kindled, as passion.
  3. to become hot with passion, as the heart.
  4. to become excessively affected with inflammation.
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Also enflame.

Origin of inflame

1300–50; in-2 + flame; replacing Middle English enflammen < Middle French enflammer < Latin inflammāre to kindle
Related formsin·flam·ed·ness [in-fley-mid-nis] /ɪnˈfleɪ mɪd nɪs/, nounin·flam·er, nounin·flam·ing·ly, adverbre·in·flame, verb, re·in·flamed, re·in·flam·ing.un·in·flamed, adjective

Synonym study

1–3. See incite. 7. See kindle1.

Antonyms

2. cool, soothe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for inflamed

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The cabby turned at him his enormous and inflamed countenance truculently.

    The Secret Agent

    Joseph Conrad

  • Roderic was inflamed with anger and disgust; but he had none, upon whom to wreak his revenge.

    Imogen

    William Godwin

  • But I am so wrought, so broken in body, so inflamed in spirit.

    The Book of Khalid

    Ameen Rihani

  • It showed no signs of injury, although her eyes were red and inflamed.

    The Film of Fear

    Arnold Fredericks

  • The inflamed Jake was oblivious to everything but his own purpose.

    The Night Riders

    Ridgwell Cullum

British Dictionary definitions for inflamed

inflame

verb
  1. to arouse or become aroused to violent emotion
  2. (tr) to increase or intensify; aggravate
  3. to produce inflammation in (a tissue, organ, or part) or (of a tissue, etc) to become inflamed
  4. to set or be set on fire; kindle
  5. (tr) to cause to redden
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Derived Formsinflamer, nouninflamingly, adverb
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 inflamed

inflame

v.

mid-14c., "to set on fire with passion," from Latin inflammare "to set on fire, kindle," figuratively "to rouse, excite," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + flammare "to flame," from flamma "flame" (see flame (n.)). Literal sense of "to cause to burn" first recorded in English late 14c.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper