fire meaning and definition

FIRE noun

Definition of fire (noun)

1. the event of something burning (often destructive)
   • "they lost everything in the fire"
2. the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy
   • "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire"
   • synonyms: firing
3. the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
   • "fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries"
   • synonyms: flame, flaming
4. a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning
   • "they sat by the fire and talked"
5. once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
6. feelings of great warmth and intensity
   • "he spoke with great ardor"
   • synonyms: ardor, ardour, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fervour
7. fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking
   • "put the kettle on the fire"; "barbecue over an open fire"
8. a severe trial
   • "he went through fire and damnation"
9. intense adverse criticism
   • "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"
   • synonyms: attack, blast, flack, flak

FIRE verb

Definition of fire (verb)

1. start firing a weapon
   • synonyms: open fire
2. cause to go off
   • "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet"
   • synonyms: discharge
3. bake in a kiln so as to harden
   • "fire pottery"
4. terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
   • "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers"
   • synonyms: can, dismiss, displace, force out, give notice, give the axe, give the sack, sack, send away, terminate
   • antonym: employ
5. go off or discharge
   • "The gun fired"
   • synonyms: discharge, go off
6. drive out or away by or as if by fire
   • "The soldiers were fired"; "Surrender fires the cold skepticism"
7. call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
   • "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy"
   • synonyms: arouse, elicit, enkindle, evoke, kindle, provoke, raise
8. destroy by fire
   • "They burned the house and his diaries"
   • synonyms: burn, burn down
9. provide with fuel
   • "Oil fires the furnace"
   • synonyms: fuel