fire

noun, often attributive \ ˈfī(-ə)r \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of fire

1 a (1) : the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame, and heat

(2) : one of the four elements of the alchemists

air, water, fire, and earth

b (1) : burning passion : ardor

young lovers with their hearts full of fire

(2) : liveliness of imagination : inspiration

the force and fire of his oratory

2 a : fuel in a state of combustion (as on a hearth)

warmed his hands at the crackling fire

b British : a small gas or electric space heater

3 a : a destructive burning (as of a building)

The shack was destroyed by a fire.

b (1) : death or torture by fire

He confessed under threat of the fire.

(2) : severe trial or ordeal

He had proved himself in the fire of battle.

4 : brilliancy, luminosity

the fire of a gem

5 a : the firing of weapons (such as firearms, artillery, or missiles)

The troops were ordered to cease fire. [=stop shooting]

They opened fire on [=began shooting at] the enemy.

; also : the bullets, shells, etc., that are discharged

The soldiers endured heavy fire.

— see also friendly fire — compare counterfire

b : intense verbal attack or criticism

His remarks have provoked heavy fire from his political opponents.

c : a rapidly delivered series (as of remarks)

—

fireless

play \ˈfī(-ə)r-ləs\ adjective

— on fire

1 : being consumed by fire : aflame

The house was on fire.

2 : eager, burning

He was on fire with enthusiasm.

— under fire

1 : exposed to fire from an enemy's weapons

The soldier showed courage under fire.

2 : under attack

The company has come under fire for its discriminatory hiring policies.

See fire defined for English-language learners

See fire defined for kids

Examples of fire in a Sentence

Stay away from the fire.
The shack was destroyed by a fire.
Two people died in that terrible fire.
How did the fire start?
We warmed our hands over the fire.
She built a fire in the fireplace.
The fire went out and he had to light it again.

Recent Examples of fire from the Web

The news outlets later clarified the articles, saying that the subpoena to Deutsche Bank pertained to people affiliated with Trump, who was satisfied with the explanation and dropped his push to fire Mueller.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Trump sought to fire Mueller in December," 11 Apr. 2018
Trump's plan to tighten border security came days after the president drew fire from supporters for signing a budget bill that failed to secure funding for his border wall.

— john bacon, USA TODAY, "Heeding Trump's call, National Guard troops begin massing along border," 10 Apr. 2018
The gusty winds on Wednesday and Thursday could mean an elevated fire danger for the Kansas City area.

— robert a. cronkleton, kansascity, "Enjoy the near 80-degree weather KC. Could winter return for third consecutive Sunday? | The Kansas City Star," 10 Apr. 2018
Of course, any move to fire Mueller, either directly or indirectly, would have serious political consequences for the president.

— NBC News, "Can Trump fire special counsel Mueller? Maybe, but the probe would go on.," 10 Apr. 2018
The fire department was called for the flash fire and resulting smoky conditions.

— linda trischitta, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Worker badly burned at Westside Regional Medical Center," 10 Apr. 2018
This is a time when the integrity of experts is under fire and science is the target of political maneuvering.

— rohan deb roy, Smithsonian, "Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism," 10 Apr. 2018
According to Syria's health ministry, at least 8,000 people in Damascus were killed in rebel mortar fire from the suburbs since 2012.

— tamara qiblawi and frederik pleitgen, CNN, "Trump's Syria threat dismissed on streets of Damascus," 10 Apr. 2018
Princeton and Rutgers were supposed to combine their efforts, but Rutgers needed room for 300 guests, which exceeded the fire code in Princeton’s indoor bubble.

— conor orr, SI.com, "The NFL’s Wide Receiver Crisis," 10 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fire

Middle English, from Old English fȳr; akin to Old High German fiur fire, Greek pyr

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

fire Synonyms

fire

verb

Definition of fire

fired; firing

transitive verb

1 a : to set on fire : kindle; also : ignite

fire a rocket engine

b (1) : to give life or spirit to : inspire

the description fired his imagination

(2) : to fill with passion or enthusiasm —often used with up

c : to light up as if by fire

d : to cause to start operating —usually used with up

fired up the engine

2 a : to drive out or away by or as if by fire

b : to dismiss from a position

3 a (1) : to cause to explode : detonate

(2) : to propel from or as if from a gun : discharge, launch

fire a rocket

(3) : shoot 1b

fire a gun

(4) : to score (a number) in a game or contest

b : to throw with speed or force

fired the ball to first base

fire a left jab

c : to utter with force and rapidity

4 : to apply fire or fuel to: such as

a : to process by applying heat

fire pottery

b : to feed or serve the fire of

fire a boiler

intransitive verb

1 a : to take fire : kindle, ignite

b : to begin operation : start

the engine fired

c : to operate especially as the result of the application of an electrical impulse

the spark plug fires

2 a : to become irritated or angry —often used with up

b : to become filled with excitement or enthusiasm

3 a : to discharge a firearm

fire at close range

b : to emit or let fly an object

4 : to tend a fire

5 : to transmit a nerve impulse

the rate at which a neuron fires

—

fireable

play \ˈfī(-ə)r-ə-bəl, ˈfī-rə-\ adjective

—

firer

noun

See fire defined for English-language learners

Examples of fire in a Sentence

She fired the arrow at the target.
He fired several shots at the police.
He fired at the police.
The gun failed to fire.
The soldiers fired on the enemy.
The shortstop fired the ball to first base.
The angry mob fired rocks at him.
The boxer fired a left jab at his opponent's chin.
The story fired his imagination.
She had to fire several workers.

Recent Examples of fire from the Web

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders asserted Trump himself has the authority to fire special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

— latimes.com, "Today: Zuck and Cover," 11 Apr. 2018
McGahn believed those issues were not grounds for Mueller to be fired and refused to call the Justice Department.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Trump sought to fire Mueller in December," 11 Apr. 2018
On Tuesday night, the Times reported that Trump tried to fire Mueller again in early December.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Will Trump Actually Fire Mueller, Rosenstein, or Sessions?," 11 Apr. 2018
The bill would ban possessing or manufacturing assault weapons with high-capacity magazines, as well as bump stocks or other attachments that enable rounds to be fired faster.

— Washington Post, "Democrat upset meeting ends without gun ban discussion," 11 Apr. 2018
Authorities have not yet disclosed how many, or clarified whether one or both of the officers, both investigators, fired their guns.

— hannah leone, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora man killed in shootout with police had complicated history," 11 Apr. 2018
Three separate Harford County fires in recent days caused an estimated $90,000 in damage to two homes and a barn, according to state fire investigators.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Fires in Jarrettsville, Pylesville, Edgewood cause combined $90,000 in damage," 10 Apr. 2018
Its members invest hundreds of dollars in specialized stiff uniforms and shoes that provide stability and support for spending hours standing, kneeling, or lying prone to fire at targets down range.

— lisa marie pane, The Christian Science Monitor, "Members of school gun teams say learned skills include patience and discipline," 9 Apr. 2018
Jiya’s disjointed vision from last week of Rufus firing a gun and of a Puritan, identifiable by the scar on his cheek, bleeding out on the ground comes into play this week.

— rachel kaufman, Smithsonian, "Welcome to Salem, Witches: “Timeless” Season 2, Episode 4, Recapped," 9 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of fire

see ¹fire

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

fire Synonyms

Synonyms

amp (up), animate, brace, energize, enliven, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, jump-start, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify, zip (up);

Antonyms

damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill;

Near Antonyms

burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary;

check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still, stunt, suppress;

daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit;

activate, actuate, drive, impel, motivate, motive, move, propel;

charge, electrify, galvanize;

enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, incite, inflame (also enflame), instigate, kindle, provoke, set off, spark, trigger, turn on, whip (up);

abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, infuse, inspire, lift, rally, steel, strengthen;

reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive;

FIRE

abbreviation

Definition of FIRE

finance, insurance, and real estate

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Fire

biographical name \ ˈfī(-ə)r \

Definition of Fire

Andrew Zachary 1959– American geneticist

FIRE Defined for English Language Learners

fire

noun

Definition of fire for English Language Learners

: the light and heat and especially the flame produced by burning
: an occurrence in which something burns : the destruction of something (such as a building or a forest) by fire
: a controlled occurrence of fire created by burning something (such as wood or gas) in a special area (such as in a fireplace or stove)

fire

verb

Definition of fire for English Language Learners

: to shoot a weapon
: to throw (something) with speed and force
: to give life or energy to (something or someone)

FIRE Defined for Kids

fire

noun \ ˈfīr \

Definition of fire for Students

1 : the light and heat and especially the flame produced by burning

2 : fuel that is burning in a controlled setting (as in a fireplace)

3 : the destructive burning of something (as a building)

4 : the shooting of weapons

rifle fire

5 : enthusiasm

— on fire

: actively burning

— under fire

1 : exposed to the firing of enemy guns

2 : under attack

fire

verb

Definition of fire for Students

fired; firing

1 : ¹shoot 2

fire a gun

2 : to dismiss from employment

He was fired from his job.

3 : excite 1, stir

It's a story to fire the imagination.

4 : to subject to great heat

fire pottery

5 : to set off : explode

fire a firecracker

6 : to set on fire

They carelessly fired the barn.

Medical Dictionary

fire

noun, often attributive \ ˈfī(ə)r \

medical Definition of fire

: fever or inflammation especially from a disease

fire

verb

medical Definition of fire

fired; firing

transitive verb

1 : to cause to transmit a nerve impulse

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 healing responses of the body

intransitive verb

: to transmit a nerve impulse