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needfire

[need-fahyuh r]
noun
  1. spontaneous combustion.
  2. luminescence, as of rotted or decayed wood.
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Origin of needfire

First recorded in 1525–35; need + fire
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for needfire

Historical Examples of needfire

  • The last time the “needfire” was used in the Keswick neighbourhood, Mr. William Wilson says, was in 1841.

    Bygone Cumberland and Westmorland

    Daniel Scott

  • The term “needfire” seems to be a corruption of “neatfire,” neat cattle being an old and common term.

  • Needfire was then obtained by friction, and all the fires were rekindled from what was regarded as the sacred flame.

  • I never heard of the use of the needfire in the Marsh, though it was, I believe, used on the wolds not many miles off.

    Balder The Beautiful, Vol. I.

    Sir James George Frazer

  • As thou knowest, it seemed to me that I was watching two sparkles from the extinguished Needfire wheel.