between two fires

[fahyuhr] Origin

fire

[fahyuhr] noun, verb, fired, fir·ing.
noun
1.
a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
2.
a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
3.
the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
4.
heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove: Put the kettle on the fire.
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6.
flashing light; luminous appearance.
7.
brilliance, as of a gem.
8.
burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
9.
liveliness of imagination.
10.
fever or inflammation.
11.
severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
12.
exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
13.
strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
14.
a spark or sparks.
15.
the discharge of firearms: enemy fire.
16.
the effect of firing military weapons: to pour fire upon the enemy.
17.
British. a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
18.
Literary. a luminous object, as a star: heavenly fires.
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verb (used with object)
19.
to set on fire.
20.
to supply with fuel; attend to the fire of: They fired the boiler.
21.
to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
22.
to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
23.
to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
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24.
to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor.
25.
to inspire.
26.
to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
27.
to discharge (a gun).
28.
to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
29.
to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
30.
to hurl; throw: to fire a stone through a window.
31.
to dismiss from a job.
32.
Veterinary Medicine. to apply a heated iron to (the skin) in order to create a local inflammation of the superficial structures, with the intention of favorably affecting deeper inflammatory processes.
33.
to drive out or away by or as by fire.
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Between two fires is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
verb (used without object)
34.
to take fire; be kindled.
35.
to glow as if on fire.
36.
to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
37.
to shoot, as a gun.
38.
to discharge a gun: to fire at a fleeing enemy.
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39.
to hurl a projectile.
40.
Music. to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
41.
(of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
42.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
43.
(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
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44.
fire away, Informal. to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions: The reporters fired away at the president.
45.
fire off,
a.
to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.): Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
b.
to write and send hurriedly: She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
46.
between two fires, under physical or verbal attack from two or more sides simultaneously: The senator is between two fires because of his stand on the bill.
47.
build a fire under, Informal. to cause or urge to take action, make a decision quickly, or work faster: If somebody doesn't build a fire under that committee, it will never reach a decision.
48.
catch fire,
a.
Also, catch on fire. to become ignited; burn: The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette.
b.
to create enthusiasm: His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
49.
fight fire with fire, to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
50.
go through fire and water, to brave any danger or endure any trial: He said he would go through fire and water to win her hand.
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51.
hang fire,
a.
to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
b.
to be undecided, postponed, or delayed: The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
52.
miss fire,
a.
to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
b.
to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful: He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
53.
on fire,
a.
ignited; burning; afire.
b.
eager; ardent; zealous: They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
54.
play with fire, to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter: He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
55.
set fire to,
a.
to cause to burn; ignite.
b.
to excite; arouse; inflame: The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
Also, set on fire.
56.
take fire,
a.
to become ignited; burn.
b.
to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal: Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
57.
under fire,
a.
under attack, especially by military forces.
b.
under censure or criticism: The school administration is under fire for its policies.
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Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr (see pyro-); (v.) Middle English firen to kindle, inflame, derivative of the noun

fir·er, noun
coun·ter·fire, noun, verb (used without object), coun·ter·fired, coun·ter·fir·ing.
re·fire, verb, re·fired, re·fir·ing.
un·fired, adjective

downsize, fire, lay off, rightsize, terminate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To between two fires
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fire
c.1200, furen, figurative, "arouse, excite;" literal sense of "set fire to" is from late 14c., from fire (n.). The O.E. verb fyrian "to supply with fire" apparently did not survive into M.E. The sense of "sack, dismiss" is first recorded 1885 in Amer.Eng., probably from a
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play on the two meanings of discharge: "to dismiss from a position," and "to fire a gun," the second sense being from "set fire to gunpowder," attested from 1520s. Related: Fired; firing. Fired up "angry" is from 1824.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

fire (fīr)
v. fired, fir·ing, fires
To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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