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.
–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.
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.
–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.
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.
—Verb phrases
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.
—Idioms
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.
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, esp. by military forces.
b.
under censure or criticism: The school administration is under fire for its policies.
Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE fȳr; c. ON fūrr, G Feuer, Gk pŷr (see pyro-); (v.) ME firen to kindle, inflame, deriv. of the n.
A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance.
Burning fuel or other material: a cooking fire; a forest fire.
Burning intensity of feeling; ardor. See Synonyms at passion.
Enthusiasm.
The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.
The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.
Burning intensity of feeling; ardor. See Synonyms at passion.
Enthusiasm.
The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.
The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.
Luminosity or brilliance, as of a cut and polished gemstone.
Liveliness and vivacity of imagination; brilliance.
A severe test; a trial or torment.
A fever or bodily inflammation.
The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.
The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.
Intense, repeated attack or criticism: answered the fire from her political critics.
v.
fired, fir·ing, fires
v.
tr.
To cause to burn; ignite.
To light (something) up as if by fire: The morning sun fired the tops of the trees.
To add fuel to (something burning).
To maintain or fuel a fire in.
To start (a fuel-burning engine). Often used with up.
To bake in a kiln: fire pottery.
To dry by heating.
To discharge (a firearm, for example).
To detonate (an explosive).
To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile).
Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter.
To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
To add fuel to (something burning).
To maintain or fuel a fire in.
To start (a fuel-burning engine). Often used with up.
To bake in a kiln: fire pottery.
To dry by heating.
To discharge (a firearm, for example).
To detonate (an explosive).
To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile).
Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter.
To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
To bake in a kiln: fire pottery.
To dry by heating.
To discharge (a firearm, for example).
To detonate (an explosive).
To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile).
Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter.
To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
To arouse the emotions of; make enthusiastic or ardent. Often used with up:warriors who were fired by patriotism.
To discharge (a firearm, for example).
To detonate (an explosive).
To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile).
Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter.
To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
To propel (a projectile); launch (a missile).
Informal To throw with force and speed; hurl: fire a ball at a batter.
To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.
Games To score (a number) in a game or contest.
To discharge from a position; dismiss. See Synonyms at dismiss.
v.
intr.
To become ignited; flame up.
To become excited or ardent.
To become angry or annoyed.
To shoot a weapon: aimed and fired at the target.
To detonate an explosive.
To ignite fuel, as in an engine.
To tend a fire.
To shoot a weapon: aimed and fired at the target.
To detonate an explosive.
To ignite fuel, as in an engine.
Informal To project or hurl a missile: The pitcher wound up and fired.
Physiology To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.
To become yellowed or brown before reaching maturity, as grain.
To utter or ask rapidly.
To write and send (a letter, for example) in haste.
Phrasal Verb(s): fire away Informal To start to talk or ask questions. fire off
To utter or ask rapidly.
To write and send (a letter, for example) in haste.
Idiom(s):
between two firesBeing attacked from two sources or sides simultaneously.
Idiom(s):
on fire
Ignited; ablaze.
Filled with enthusiasm or excitement.
Idiom(s):
start/light/build a fire under Slang To urge or goad to action.
Idiom(s):
under fire
Exposed or subjected to enemy attack.
Exposed or subjected to critical attack or censure: an official who was under fire for mismanagement.
[Middle English fir, from Old English fȳr; see paəw in Indo-European roots.] fire'a·ble adj., fir'er n.
Word History: Primitive Indo-European 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. Our word 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, which is 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.
Main Entry: 2fire Function: verb Inflected Forms: fired; fir·ing transitive senses 1: to cause to transmit a nerveimpulse 2: to sear (the leg of a horse) with a hot iron in order to convert a crippling chronic inflammation into an acute inflammation that will stimulate the natural healingresponses of the body fireintransitive senses : to transmit a nerve impulse fires>
Start to talk or ask questions. For example, You've got more questions? Well, fire away. This expression originated in the 1600s as a military command to discharge firearms and was being transferred to other actions by the late 1700s. Also see fire off.
[fahyuh
r] 
noun, verb, fired, fir⋅ing.
in Indo-European roots.]