flare

[ flair ]

verb (used without object)

, flared, flar·ing.

1. to burn with an unsteady, swaying flame, as a torch or candle in the wind.

   Synonyms: flame

2. to blaze with a sudden burst of flame (often followed by up ):

   The fire flared up as the paper caught.

3. to start up or burst out in sudden, fierce intensity or activity (often followed by up ):

   His stomach problems have flared up.

4. to become suddenly enraged; express sudden, fierce anger or passion (usually followed by up or out ):

   I’m not a person who flares easily. She sometimes flares out at the kids.

   Synonyms: flame, blaze, flash, explode, erupt

5. to shine or glow.
6. to spread gradually outward, as the end of a trumpet, the bottom of a wide skirt, or the sides of a ship.

verb (used with object)

, flared, flar·ing.

1. to cause (a candle, torch, etc.) to burn with a swaying flame.
2. to display conspicuously or ostentatiously.
3. to signal by flares of fire or light.
4. to cause (something) to spread gradually outward in form.
5. Metallurgy. to heat (a high-zinc brass) to such a high temperature that the zinc vapors begin to burn.
6. to discharge and burn (excess gas) at a well or refinery.

noun

1. a flaring or swaying flame or light, as of torches in the wind.
2. a sudden blaze or burst of flame.

   Synonyms: flash

3. a bright blaze of fire or light used as a signal, a means of illumination or guidance, etc.
4. a device or substance used to produce such a blaze of fire or light.
5. a sudden burst, as of zeal or of anger.
6. a gradual spread outward in form; outward curvature:

   the flare of a skirt.

7. something that spreads out.
8. Optics. light, often unwanted or extraneous, reaching the image plane of an optical instrument, as a camera, resulting from reflections, scattering by lenses, and the like.
9. Photography. a fogged appearance given to an image by reflection within a camera lens or within the camera itself.
10. Also called solar flare. Astronomy. a sudden and brief brightening of the solar atmosphere in the vicinity of a sunspot that results from an explosive release of particles and radiation.
11. Football. a short pass thrown to a back who is running toward a sideline and is not beyond the line of scrimmage.
12. Television. a dark area on a CRT picture tube caused by variations in light intensity.

flare

/ flɛə /

verb

1. to burn or cause to burn with an unsteady or sudden bright flame
2. to spread or cause to spread outwards from a narrow to a wider shape
3. tr to make a conspicuous display of
4. to increase the temperature of (a molten metal or alloy) until a gaseous constituent of the melt burns with a characteristic flame or (of a molten metal or alloy) to show such a flame
5. trsometimes foll byoff (in the oil industry) to burn off (unwanted gas) at an oil well

noun

1. an unsteady flame
2. a sudden burst of flame
3. 1. a blaze of light or fire used to illuminate, identify, alert, signal distress, etc
   2. the device producing such a blaze
4. a spreading shape or anything with a spreading shape

   a skirt with a flare

5. a sudden outburst, as of emotion
6. optics
   1. the unwanted light reaching the image region of an optical device by reflections inside the instrument, etc
   2. the fogged area formed on a negative by such reflections See also solar flare
7. See solar flare
   astronomy short for solar flare
8. aeronautics the final transition phase of an aircraft landing, from the steady descent path to touchdown
9. an open flame used to burn off unwanted gas at an oil well

Derived Forms

• flared, adjective

Other Words From

• outflare verb (used with object) outflared outflaring
• un·flared adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flare¹

1540–50; original meaning: spread out, said of hair, a ship's sides, etc.; compare Old English flǣre either of the spreading sides at the end of the nose

Word History and Origins

Origin of flare¹

C16 (to spread out): of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Either way, he and others think the campfire flares are important.

From Science News For Students

When applied to old data, the method anticipated several powerful flares, although it missed some as well.

From Science News

Together, the small but ubiquitous flares could be a source of energy to the corona that astronomers haven’t accounted for.

From Science News

In the second scenario, which Metzger and his colleagues published last year, the flare of energy escapes the magnetosphere and travels a large distance — up to 1 million times the radius of the magnetar.

From Quanta Magazine

Specific features of those electron–gas interactions give each type of aurora its unique flare.

From Science News For Students

Both are the result of magnetic activity on the sun, but a solar flare has more energy than a CME.

From The Daily Beast

In past flare-ups—documented on open carry forums—the grocery chain has said that it will comply with state laws.

From The Daily Beast

In 1859, astronomer Richard Carrington observed a strong solar flare that was directed at the Earth.

From The Daily Beast

The principle is sound, but the effect is small enough that another source entirely could be responsible for the extra flare-up.

From The Daily Beast

His words have a nationalistic flare, and his story is gripping.

From The Daily Beast

The old Negro watched the approaching flare of the head-light as he ran on, with a grim, defiant eye.

From Project Gutenberg

His chuckle stopped as lightning flare threw the shadow of a man across the ground at Joseph's feet.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to keep the flare-lights burning all kinds of materials had been sacrificed.

From Project Gutenberg

Jim agreed at once, handed over the care of his flare-lights to one of the men, and prepared for action.

From Project Gutenberg

The furnishings are many hued, the cushions a flare of color, and the pictures fantastically futuristic.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blaze
• boil over
• break out
• burn
• explode
• flare up
• flash
• flicker
• glow
• seethe