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fire

Pronunciation: /ˈfaɪ.ə/

The English word “fire” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A (usually self-sustaining) chemical reaction involving the bonding of oxygen with carbon or other fuel, with the production of heat and the presence of flame or smouldering.
  2. An instance of this chemical reaction, especially when intentionally created and maintained in a specific location to a useful end (such as a campfire or a hearth fire).
  3. The occurrence, often accidental, of fire in a certain place, causing damage and danger.
  4. The aforementioned chemical reaction of burning, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
  5. A heater or stove used in place of a real fire (such as an electric fire).
  6. The elements necessary to start a fire.
  7. The bullets or other projectiles fired from a gun or other ranged weapon.
  8. A planned bombardment by artillery or similar weapons, or the capability to deliver such.
  9. A firearm.
  10. A barrage, volley
  11. An instance of firing one or more rocket engines.
  12. Strength of passion, whether love or hate.
  13. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm.
  14. Splendour; brilliancy; lustre; hence, a star.
  15. A severe trial; anything inflaming or provoking.
  16. Red coloration in a piece of opal.
  17. The capacity of a gemstone, especially a faceted, cut gemstone, that is transparent to visible light, to disperse white light into its multispectral component parts, resulting in a flash of different colors, the richness and dispersion of which increases the gemstone's value.

adjective

  1. Amazing; excellent.

verb

  1. To set (something, often a building) on fire.
  2. To heat as with fire, but without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc.

Etymology

From Middle English fyr, from Old English fȳr (“fire”), from Proto-West Germanic *fuir, from *fuïr, a regularised form of Proto-Germanic *fōr (“fire”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥. Cognates See also Scots feier, fyre (“fire”), Yola vier, vire (“fire”), Saterland Frisian Fjuur, Fjúur (“fire”), West Frisian fjoer (“fire”), Alemannic German Füür (“fire”), Bavarian Feia (“fire”),…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.