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inflame

 [in-fleym]   Origin

in·flame

   [in-fleym] verb, -flamed, -flam·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to kindle or excite (passions, desires, etc.).
2.
to arouse to a high degree of passion or feeling: His harangue inflamed the rabble.
3.
to incite or rouse, as to violence: His words inflamed the angry mob to riot.
4.
(of an emotion, as rage) to cause to redden or grow heated: Uncontrollable rage inflamed his face.
5.
to cause inflammation in: Her eyes were inflamed with crying.
EXPAND
6.
to raise (the blood, bodily tissue, etc.) to a morbid or feverish heat.
7.
to set aflame, ablaze, or afire; set on fire.
8.
to redden with or as with flames: The setting sun inflames the sky.
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
9.
to burst into flame; take fire.
10.
to be kindled, as passion.
11.
to become hot with passion, as the heart.
12.
to become excessively affected with inflammation.

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Inflame is one of our favorite verbs.
So is fletcherise. Does it mean:
to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
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Also, enflame.

Origin:
1300–50; in-2 + flame; replacing Middle English enflammen < Middle French enflammer < Latin inflammāre to kindle

Related forms
in·flam·ed·ness  [in-fley-mid-nis] , noun
in·flam·er, noun
in·flam·ing·ly, adverb
re·in·flame, verb, -flamed, -flam·ing.
un·in·flamed, adjective

Synonyms
1–3. See incite. 7. See kindle.

Antonyms
2. cool, soothe.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To inflame
Collins
World English Dictionary
inflame (ɪnˈfleɪm)
 
—vb
1.  to arouse or become aroused to violent emotion
2.  (tr) to increase or intensify; aggravate
3.  to produce inflammation in (a tissue, organ, or part) or (of a tissue, etc) to become inflamed
4.  to set or be set on fire; kindle
5.  (tr) to cause to redden
 
in'flamer
 
—n
 
in'flamingly
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

inflame
mid-14c., "to set on fire with passion," figurative use of L. inflammare "to set on fire, kindle," from in- "in" + flammare "to flame," from flamma "flame" (see flame). Literal sense of "to cause to burn" first recorded in English late 14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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