fire

noun, often attributive

\ ˈfī(-ə)r

Definition of fire

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a(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

2a : 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

3a : 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

5a : 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)

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.

fire

verb

fired; firing

Definition of fire (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : 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

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

b : to dismiss from a position

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

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

(3) : shoot sense 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

1a : 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

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

b : to become filled with excitement or enthusiasm

3a : 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

FIRE

abbreviation

Definition of FIRE (Entry 3 of 4)

finance, insurance, and real estate

Fire

biographical name

\ ˈfī(-ə)r

Definition of Fire (Entry 4 of 4)

Andrew Zachary 1959– American geneticist

Other Words from fire Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fire

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from fire

Noun

fireless \ ˈfī(-ə)r-ləs

\ adjective

Verb

fireable \ ˈfī(-ə)r-ə-bəl

, ˈfī-rə- \ adjective

firer noun

Examples of fire in a Sentence

Noun

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.

Verb

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 on the Web: Noun

The announcement is likely to be accompanied by a Taliban promise to hold intra-Afghan talks and agree to an eventual cease-fire. — Washington Post, "Taliban bombing in Afghan capital kills 6, wounds scores," 2 July 2019 The announcement is likely to be accompanied by a Taliban promise to hold intra-Afghan talks and agree to an eventual cease-fire. — Time, "A Powerful Bomb Blast Rocks Afghanistan's Capital Kabul, Wounding at Least 65," 1 July 2019 Before Saturday’s trade cease-fire agreement, both Washington and Beijing had made their perspectives known. — Andrew Jeong, WSJ, "Trump Leaves Huawei’s South Korean Suppliers Hanging," 30 June 2019 Hurt compounded, Jones’ lawyers say, by the loss of her home in a fire and the loss of her job. — Roy S. Johnson | Rjohnson@al.com, al.com, "Johnson: Marshea Jones should not be prosecuted; she should be helped," 30 June 2019 President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping agreed to a cease-fire Saturday in their nations' yearlong trade war, averting for now an escalation feared by financial markets, businesses and farmers. — Jonathan Lemire, Fortune, "Trump and Xi Agree to Truce in US-China Trade War," 29 June 2019 President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping agreed to a cease-fire Saturday in their nations' yearlong trade war, averting for now an escalation feared by financial markets, businesses and farmers. — Jonathan Lemire, chicagotribune.com, "Temporary truce declared in trade war with China after Trump, Xi meet in Japan," 29 June 2019 The first essay in Slouching Towards Bethlehem is on the case of Lucille Miller, who was found guilty of killing her husband, Gordon, in an automobile fire. — Mary Spencer, National Review, "What Joan Didion Saw," 29 June 2019 His expertise is policy; as city attorney, he was intimately involved in vexing issues such as Fair Park's privatization, the city's pension woes, a massive water dispute, police-and-fire pay lawsuits and talks with other agencies. — Hayat Norimine, Dallas News, "Coalition for a New Dallas hopes new political muscle will help its causes," 28 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The lawsuit, filed late Tuesday in Nevada, alleges AR-15 style rifles could be easily modified to fire like automatic weapons. — Michael Balsamo, BostonGlobe.com, "Family of Las Vegas mass shooting victim sues gun makers," 3 July 2019 By reportedly encouraging his father-in-law to fire James Comey, Jared also helped transform the Russia investigation into a two-year political nightmare for the president. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Kids Aren’t Alright," 3 July 2019 The firefighters association is conducting a raffle to raise money to fund a scholarship to send a high school graduate to fire school, explained Ondruch. — Karen Zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "Katy firefighters, police officers play ball before hometown crowd," 3 July 2019 The abort system is designed to automatically fire within milliseconds if an error rises so the capsule can literally outrun the rocket. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "NASA tests abort system for the Orion spacecraft that will carry humans to the moon in 2024," 2 July 2019 Despite the wound, Clements was able to fire back, hitting Martin in the back. — Johnny Diaz, sun-sentinel.com, "Longtime Miami Beach cop is the new police chief," 2 July 2019 In another incident at a Texas Walmart in May, YouTube stars Lauren Love and her partner, Joel Ashley, pretended to fire the employees of a Richmond area Walmart. — Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, "Texas Walmart Bans Woman Who Ate Half a Cake in Store ⁠— and Demanded Half Off the Price," 1 July 2019 In the suit filed Monday in a federal court in California, Creative Artists Agency alleges that the guild has violated antitrust laws by organizing a group boycott in which the guild has pressured its members to fire their agents. — David Ng, latimes.com, "CAA becomes third agency to take Writers Guild to court," 1 July 2019 The court declined to hear a challenge to the federal ban on bump stocks - devices that allow a rifle to be fired rapidly like a machine gun - that went into effect in March. — NBC News, "Supreme Court term found Trump's justices, and others, forming unpredictable alliances," 30 June 2019

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.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for fire

fire

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fire

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

English Language Learners Definition of fire (Entry 2 of 2)

: to shoot a weapon

: to throw (something) with speed and force

: to give life or energy to (something or someone)

See the full definition for fire in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fire

noun

\ ˈfīr

Kids Definition of fire

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

fired; firing

Kids Definition of fire (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : shoot entry 1 sense 2 fire a gun

2 : to dismiss from employment He was fired from his job.

3 : excite sense 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.

fire

noun, often attributive

\ ˈfī(ə)r

Medical Definition of fire

(Entry 1 of 2)

: fever or inflammation especially from a disease

fire

verb

fired; firing

Medical Definition of fire (Entry 2 of 2)

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 the rate at which a neuron fires