on fire
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fire
(fīr)n.
1.
a. A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance: destruction by fire.
b. A specific instance of this change that destroys something: a house fire.
c. A burning fuel: a cooking fire.
2. Burning intensity of feeling; ardor or enthusiasm: a musical performance that had fire. See Synonyms at passion.
3. Luminosity or brilliance, as of a cut and polished gemstone.
4. Liveliness and vivacity of imagination; brilliance: the fire of an artistic genius.
5. A severe test; a trial or torment: went through fire to become a leader.
6. A fever or bodily inflammation: tormented by the fire in an infected toe.
7.
a. The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.
b. The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
c. Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.
8. Intense, repeated attack or criticism: answered the fire from her political critics.
v. fired, fir·ing, fires
v.tr.
1.
a. To cause to burn; ignite or set fire to: fired the enemy's encampment.
b. To illuminate or cause to resemble fire, as in color: The morning sun fired the tops of the trees.
2.
a. To start (a fuel-burning engine or a vehicle with such an engine). Often used with up.
b. To start or tend a fire in: fire a furnace.
3.
a. To arouse the emotions of; make enthusiastic or ardent. Often used with up: demonstrators who were fired up by their sense of injustice.
b. To inspire or arouse (an emotion or the imagination).
4. To bake or dry by heating, as in a kiln: fire pottery.
5.
a. To discharge (a firearm, for example).
b. To detonate (an explosive).
6.
a. To propel (a projectile) from a weapon or launch (a missile): fired several rounds before the gun jammed.
b. Informal To throw or propel with force and speed: fire a ball at a batter; fire a puck at the goal.
c. To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
7. Games To score (a number) in a game or contest: The golfer fired a 35 on the front nine.
8. To end the employment or service of; dismiss. See Synonyms at dismiss.
v.intr.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. To become ignited; flame up: wet kindling that just wouldn't fire.
2.
a. To shoot a weapon: aimed and fired at the target.
b. To detonate an explosive.
c. To ignite fuel; start: The engine fired right away.
3.
a. To send out a projectile; discharge: The cannons fired for hours.
b. To propel or hurl a projectile: The pitcher wound up and fired.
4. Physiology To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.
5. To become yellowed or brown before reaching maturity, as grain.
fire away Informal
To start to talk or ask questions.
fire off
1. To utter or ask rapidly.
2. To write and send (a letter, for example) in haste.
fire up
Idioms: 1. To cause to be ignited or to produce fire: fire up a cigar; fire up the grill.
2. To cause to become excited or emotional: a speech that fired up the crowd.
3. To bring to activity; start: Fire up the stereo!
between two fires
Being attacked from two sources or sides simultaneously.
on fire
1. Ignited; ablaze.
2. Filled with enthusiasm or excitement.
start/light/build a fire under Slang
To urge or goad to action.
under fire
1. Exposed or subjected to enemy attack.
2. Exposed or subjected to critical attack or censure: an official who was under fire for mismanagement.
fire′a·ble adj.
fir′er n.
Word History: Indo-European, the protolanguage from which English and many other languages descend, had pairs of words for some very common things, such as water or fire. Typically, one word in the pair was active, animate, and personified; the other, impersonal and neuter in grammatical gender. In the case of the pair of words for "fire," English has descendants of both, one inherited directly from Germanic, the other borrowed from Latin. Fire goes back to the neuter member of the pair. In Old English "fire" was fȳr, from Germanic *fūr. The Indo-European form behind *fūr is *pūr, whence also the Greek neuter noun pūr, the source of the prefix pyro-. The other Indo-European word for fire appears in ignite, derived from the Latin word for fire, ignis, from Indo-European *egnis. The Russian word for fire, ogon' (stem form ogn-), and the Sanskrit agni-, "fire" (deified as Agni, the god of fire), also come from *egnis, the active, animate, and personified word for fire.
house
(hous)n. pl. hous·es (hou′zĭz, -sĭz)
1.
a. A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.
b. A household or family.
2. Something, such as a burrow or shell, that serves as a shelter or habitation for a wild animal.
3. A dwelling for a group of people, such as students or members of a religious community, who live together as a unit: a sorority house.
4.
a. A building that functions as the primary shelter or location of something: a carriage house; the lion house at the zoo.
b. A building devoted to a particular activity: a customs house; a house of worship.
5.
a. A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public: a movie house; the specialty of the house.
b. The seating area in such an establishment: dimmed the lights in the house to signal the start of the show.
c. The audience or patrons of such an establishment: a full house.
6.
a. A commercial firm: a brokerage house.
b. A publishing company: a house that specializes in cookbooks.
c. A gambling casino.
d. Slang A house of prostitution.
7. A residential college within a university.
8.
a. often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.
b. The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.
c. A quorum of such an assembly.
9. often House A family line including ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble family: the House of Orange.
10.
a. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.
b. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.
11. House music.
v. (houz) housed, hous·ing, hous·es
v. tr.
1. To provide living quarters for; lodge: The cottage housed ten students.
2. To shelter, keep, or store in a house or other structure: a library housing rare books.
3. To fit (something) into a socket or mortise.
4. Nautical To secure or stow safely.
v. intr.
Idioms: 1. To reside; dwell.
2. To take shelter.
like a house on fire (or afire) Informal
In an extremely speedy manner: ran away like a house on fire; tickets that sold like a house afire.
on the house
At the expense of the establishment; free: food and drinks on the house.
put (or set) (one's) house in order
To organize one's affairs in a sensible, logical way.
[Middle English hous, from Old English hūs.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Adj. | 1. | on fire - lighted up by or as by fire or flame; "forests set ablaze (or afire) by lightning"; "even the car's tires were aflame"; "a night aflare with fireworks"; "candles alight on the tables"; "houses on fire" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
مُحْتَرِق
hořícív plamenech
brænderi brand
sem kviknaî hefur í, sem brennur
alevler içindeyanmakta
fire
(ˈfaiə) noun1. anything that is burning, whether accidentally or not. a warm fire in the kitchen; Several houses were destroyed in a fire.
2. an apparatus for heating. a gas fire; an electric fire.
3. the heat and light produced by burning. Fire is one of man's greatest benefits.
4. enthusiasm. with fire in his heart.
5. attack by gunfire. The soldiers were under fire.
verb1. (of china, pottery etc) to heat in an oven, or kiln, in order to harden and strengthen. The ceramic pots must be fired.
2. to make (someone) enthusiastic; to inspire. The story fired his imagination.
3. to operate (a gun etc) by discharging a bullet etc from it. He fired his revolver three times.
4. to send out or discharge (a bullet etc) from a gun etc. He fired three bullets at the target.
5. (often with at or on) to aim and operate a gun at; to shoot at. They suddenly fired on us; She fired at the target.
6. to send away someone from his/her job; to dismiss. He was fired from his last job for being late.
fire alarm an apparatus (eg a bell) to give warning of a fire. Everyone had to leave the building when the fire alarm rang.
ˈfirearm noun any type of gun. In most countries you need a licence to keep firearms.
ˈfire-brigade noun a company of firemen. Call the fire-brigade!
ˈfire-cracker noun a kind of firework which makes a loud noise.
ˈfire-engine noun a vehicle carrying firemen and their equipment.
ˈfire-escape noun a means of escape from a building in case of fire, usually in the form of a metal staircase on the outside of the building. Hotels should have fire-escapes.
ˈfire-extinguisher noun an apparatus (usually containing chemicals) for putting out fires. There must be fire-extinguishers in every room.
ˈfire-guard noun a metal framework placed in front of a fireplace for safety.
ˈfireman noun a man whose job is to put out accidental fires or those caused deliberately as a criminal act.
ˈfireplace noun a space in a room (usually in a wall) with a chimney above, for a fire. a wide stone fireplace.
ˈfireproof adjective that is made so it cannot catch fire. a fireproof suit.
ˈfireside noun a place beside a fireplace. The old man slept by the fireside; (also adjective) a fireside chair.
ˈfire-station noun the building or buildings where fire-engines and other pieces of equipment used by firemen are kept.
ˈfirewood noun wood that is suitable for burning as fuel. I went into the garden to cut firewood.
ˈfirework noun a small exploding device giving off a colourful display of lights. Rockets are my favourite fireworks; (also adjective) a firework display; If your sister finds out, there'll be fireworks (= a display of anger)!
ˈfiring-squad noun a group of soldiers with guns, to execute a prisoner. He must face the firing-squad.
catch fire to begin to burn. Dry wood catches fire easily.
on fire burning. The building is on fire!
open fire (usually with on) to begin shooting at. The enemy opened fire (on us).
play with fire to do something dangerous or risky. Putting all your money into that business is playing with fire!
set fire to (something) / set (something) on fire to cause (something) to begin burning usually accidentally or deliberately as a criminal act. They set fire to the ambassador's house; She has set the house on fire.
under fire1. being shot at. We have been under fire from the enemy all day.
2. being criticized or blamed. The government is under fire.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.