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balefire - 2 dictionary results

bale⋅fire

[beyl-fahyuhr]
–noun
1. a large fire in the open air; bonfire.
2. a signal fire; beacon.
3. the fire of a funeral pile.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME bal(e)fir, equiv. to bale (< ON bāl funeral pyre) + fire fire; r. OE bǣlfȳr

Balefire

Bale"fire`\ (b[=a]l"f[imac]r), n. [AS. b[=ae]lf[=y]r the fire of the funeral pile; b[=ae]l fire, flame (akin to Icel. b[=a]l, OSlav. b[=e]l[u^], white, Gr. falo`s bright, white, Skr. bh[=a]la brightness) + f[=y]r, E. fire.] A signal fire; an alarm fire.

Sweet Teviot! on thy silver tide The glaring balefires blaze no more. --Sir W. Scott.
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