fire
/'faie/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The process of combustion producing heat, light, and often smoke: "fire" refers to the visible, hot result of burning materials.
- A destructive burning event: "fire" can mean an uncontrolled and often destructive event of burning, such as a house fire.
- A controlled burning for heat or cooking: "fire" can refer to a contained combustion used for warmth, cooking, or in a fireplace.
- Intense feeling or enthusiasm: "fire" can metaphorically describe strong emotion, passion, or spirit.
- The shooting of guns or artillery: "fire" refers to the act of discharging firearms or weapons.
Verb:
- To discharge a weapon or projectile: "fire" means to cause a gun, rocket, or similar device to shoot.
- To dismiss from a job: "fire" means to terminate someone's employment.
- To set on fire; to ignite: "fire" means to cause something to burn.
- To bake or harden in a kiln: "fire" means to treat pottery or bricks with intense heat.
- To inspire or excite: "fire" can mean to stimulate strong emotion or enthusiasm in someone.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The warmth of the fire was comforting on the cold night. (The heat from the burning material provided comfort.)
- The building was destroyed by fire. (The building was destroyed in a burning event.)
- We cooked marshmallows over the open fire. (We used the flames for cooking.)
- She spoke with fire and conviction. (She spoke with great passion.)
- The soldiers came under heavy fire. (The soldiers were targeted by gunfire.)
Verb:
- The officer ordered the troops to fire. (The officer ordered them to shoot their weapons.)
- The manager had to fire the employee for repeated misconduct. (The manager had to dismiss the employee.)
- It is dangerous to fire dry grass in the summer. (It is dangerous to set dry grass alight.)
- The potter will fire the vase in the kiln tomorrow. (The potter will bake the vase to harden it.)
- The coach's speech fired the team's determination to win. (The speech ignited their determination.)
Advanced Usage
"to be on fire": to be burning; to be performing exceptionally well.
- The house was on fire. (The house was burning.)
- The basketball player was on fire, scoring point after point. (The player was performing brilliantly.)
"to catch fire": to begin burning.
- The dry leaves quickly caught fire. (The leaves began to burn.)
"to open fire": to begin shooting.
- The troops opened fire at dawn. (The troops began shooting at dawn.)
"under fire": being criticized or attacked.
- The new policy is under fire from the public. (The policy is facing strong criticism.)
Variants and Related Words
Firefighter (n): a person whose job is to extinguish fires.
- The firefighters arrived quickly at the scene.
Fireplace (n): a structure for containing a domestic fire.
- They gathered around the fireplace.
Fireproof (adj): resistant to catching fire.
- The safe is fireproof.
Fiery (adj): consisting of or resembling fire; passionate.
- He has a fiery temper. (He has a quick, passionate temper.)
Synonyms
- Noun (Flames): blaze, flames, conflagration (for a large, destructive fire).
- Verb (Shoot): shoot, discharge, let off.
- Verb (Dismiss): dismiss, sack, terminate.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Fire away: an invitation to begin speaking or asking questions, often energetically.
- "Do you have any questions?" "Yes, several." "Okay, fire away."
Fire off: to send or say something quickly and energetically, often in succession.
- He fired off a series of angry emails. (He sent many emails rapidly.)
Fire up: to excite, inspire, or make someone enthusiastic; to start an engine.
- The pep talk fired up the team. (The talk inspired the team.)
- He fired up the generator. (He started the generator.)
Related Idioms
Play with fire: to take foolish risks.
- Not studying for the exam is playing with fire. (It is a very risky action.)
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: to go from a bad situation to a worse one.
- By quitting his stressful job without another lined up, he jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Where's the fire?: a humorous question asking why someone is in such a hurry.
- "You're running down the hall!" "Where's the fire?"
Set the world on fire: to achieve great success or fame.
- The young inventor hoped his idea would set the world on fire.
Verb
- provide with fuel
- Oil fires the furnace
- destroy by fire
- They burned the house and his diaries
- call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
- arouse pity
- raise a smile
- evoke sympathy
- drive out or away by or as if by fire
- The soldiers were fired
- Surrender fires the cold skepticism
- go off or discharge
- The gun fired
- terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
- The boss fired his secretary today
- The company terminated 25% of its workers
- bake in a kiln so as to harden
- fire pottery
- cause to go off
- fire a gun
- fire a bullet
- start firing a weapon
Noun
- intense adverse criticism
- Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party
- the government has come under attack
- don't give me any flak
- a severe trial
- he went through fire and damnation
- fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking
- put the kettle on the fire
- barbecue over an open fire
- feelings of great warmth and intensity
- he spoke with great ardor
- once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
- a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning
- they sat by the fire and talked
- the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
- fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries
- the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy
- hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes
- they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire
- the event of something burning (often destructive)
- they lost everything in the fire