flame1 nounflame2 verb
flameflame1 /fleɪm/ ●●○ noun 
WORD ORIGINflame1
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French, Latin flamma ‘flame’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Flames poured out of the windows.
- Natural gas burns with a bright blue flame.
- The room was dimly lit by the flame of a single candle.
- You can sterilize a needle by holding it in a flame.
- He cupped his hand over his thing as if it were a flame that might blow out.
- In his imagination it burst into flames.
- Or watch a launch, the orange flames billowing and shrinking to a point in the sky before the sound hits.
- The arms of the dead warrior seemed to flex, moved by heat, twisted by the consuming flame.
- The ice-cold butt burned the skin of his palm like a flame.
- The sun sat on top of it like the flame on a black candle.
- We know a city can go up in flames because of a burnt cake in Pudding Lane.
Longman Language Activatorwhen something is burning
to produce flames and heat: · A pile of branches was burning in the yard.· At one end of the room a coal fire burned brightly.· The candle flickered briefly, then burned with a steady flame.
if a building, vehicle, or piece of clothing is on fire , it is burning: · Large areas of the forest are reported to be on fire.· Before long the neighboring houses were on fire too.
also be ablaze to be on fire with a lot of flames, causing serious damage: · When the fire department arrived the whole school was in flames.· Twelve hours after the bombing raid, many parts of the city were still ablaze.
burning very brightly with a lot of flames and heat: · They sat on the sofa in front of a blazing fire.· The heat from the blazing car could be felt several metres away.
British /smolder American to burn slowly, producing smoke but no flames: · The fire in the chemical factory was so intense that it was still smouldering a week later.· A cigarette smoldered in the ashtray.· a pile of smoldering leaves
if a fire or flame flickers , it burns unsteadily: · A welcoming fire flickered in the grate.· Inside the shrine candles flicker next to statues of saints.
when something starts burning also catch on fire especially American to start burning accidentally: · Two farm workers died when a barn caught fire yesterday.· The car turned over, but luckily it didn't catch fire.· There was an explosion, and the whole garage caught on fire.
to suddenly start burning and produce a lot of flames that cause serious damage: · The plane crashed into the side of the mountain and burst into flames.· Without warning the toaster burst into flames.
if a building or vehicle goes up or goes up in flames , it starts burning very quickly and usually is destroyed by fire: · Be careful with those matches, or the whole place will go up in flames!· The fire spread slowly until it reached the gas cylinders, then the factory went up in flames.· If the oil tanker goes up, it could burn for weeks.
if a fire breaks out , it starts burning accidentally and spreads very quickly: · Over £20,000 worth of damage was caused when a fire broke out in the cellar.· Would you know what to do if a fire broke out in your school?
to suddenly begin to burn, or suddenly burn much more strongly than before, with a strong, bright flame: · The spilled gasoline suddenly flared up in a sheet of flame.· They threw some dry wood onto the bonfire and it flared up, showering sparks into the night sky.
to start burning: · Scientists could not explain why the gas had suddenly ignited.· The compound ignites at 450 degrees Celsius.
the heat and light produced by something that is burning · Most animals are afraid of fire.· When did humans first learn to use fire?
the hot bright area of burning gas which is produced by something that is burning: · Natural gas burns with a bright blue flame.· You can sterilize a needle by holding it in a flame.· The candle flame flickered and then went out.
a fire that damages a building, forest, etc · Eleven people died in a fire in Chicago early Monday.fire spreads (=gets bigger or worse) · The fire quickly spread throughout the building.fire breaks out (=starts suddenly) · Investigators say the fire probably broke out in the hotel kitchen.start a fire · The fire was started by an electrical fault.forest fire · A forest fire had been raging in the south and the sky in that direction had a deep red glow.
a large and dangerous fire that burns very strongly: · Firefighters struggled to control the blaze.· The church was completely destroyed in the blaze.
a very large, very hot, and very dangerous fire, especially in an enclosed space such as a building - used especially in newspapers and in literature: · Eleven homes and several businesses were destroyed in the inferno.· He rushed back into the inferno to rescue his two-year-old sister, Cora, who had been trapped inside.
the bright parts of a fire that you see burning in the air: · I saw flames coming from the engine.· She frantically sprayed the flames with a fire extinguisher.
someone that you have a romantic or sexual relationship with a girl or woman that you have a romantic relationship with, especially for a fairly long time: somebody's girlfriend: · I met my brother's new girlfriend last night.· Katherine is his first girlfriend since breaking up with Maggie.have a girlfriend: · Does Mark have a girlfriend?old/ex-/former girlfriend (=someone who used to be your girlfriend): · Denver police said the suspect had earlier made threats to kill his ex-girlfriend and then himself.serious/steady girlfriend (=a girlfriend that you have a serious romantic relationship with): · Wendell hasn't had a steady girlfriend in years.
a boy or man that you have a romantic relationship with, especially for a fairly long time : somebody's boyfriend: · Josh was my first boyfriend.· All she does is talk about her boyfriend.have a boyfriend: · I was talking to this guy at the bar and he starting asking me whether I was married or had a boyfriend.old/ex-/former boyfriend (=someone who used to be your boyfriend): · Oh, my God! I've just seen Barry, my ex-boyfriend.serious/steady boyfriend (=a boyfriend that you have a serious romantic relationship with): · Sarah's doing well and has a serious boyfriend, Michael, whom she plans to marry next year.
someone that you have a serious romantic and sexual relationship with, especially someone that you live with: · Sweden allows gay partners to receive many of the benefits awarded to heterosexual married couples.sexual partner: · The survey found that only about one of every four men had had ten or more sexual partners over their lifetime.
a woman who has a sexual relationship with a man who is married to someone else: · She thought that her husband had a mistress but could not prove it.· The former Prime Minister's wife and mistress both attended the funeral.
someone who you have a sexual relationship with, without being married to them: somebody's lover: · That night she received a call from her lover.have a lover: · Over her lifetime, Catherine had many lovers.become lovers: · A few nights later, they became lovers.be lovers: · Kilpatrick claims that she and the congressman were once lovers.
informal someone who was your girlfriend or boyfriend in the past: · In a box in the closet, I found love letters from one of his old flames.· After 17 years of marriage, he left his wife for an old flame he ran into at a high school reunion.
someone you love the people you love, especially the members of your family: · Many prisoners find it difficult being separated from their loved ones.· They are fighting to protect their loved ones from oppression and violence.
your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife - used especially in advertisements or sayings: · Flowers are the perfect gift for the one you love.· You know what they say: you always hurt the one you love.
the person who you have loved the most in your life: · Claude has always been the love of her life.· He knew as soon as he met her that Sumana would be the love of his life.
someone who was your girlfriend or boyfriend in the past, especially someone that you still like: · I met up with an old flame, and we sat and chatted for a while.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs
The building was engulfed in flames. The book will serve to fan the flames of debate. The whole building went up in flames. I tried to help, but all my suggestions were shot down in flames, as usual.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
(=make them stop burning)· The firemen successfully put out the flames.
(=pour water on them to make them stop)· We used a bucket of water to douse the flames.
(=put something over them to make them stop burning)· Barry smothered the flames with a blanket.
(=make them burn more by waving something in front of them)· She used a large piece of card to fan the flames.
· The flames were burning brightly.
(=burns less strongly)· By evening, the flames had gradually died down.
(=stops burning)· Try not to let the flame go out.
(also flames dance literary) (=they move)· He watched the flames flickering in the fireplace.
(=they completely surround and burn something)· Flames quickly engulfed the building.
(=they go high into the air)· Flames were leaping up the chimney.
literary (=they touch something lightly)· Flames licked the darkening sky.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + flame (=not enclosed with a cover)· Never use a naked flame near spray paint.
· He lit the fire with the candle flame.
· The glass is heated over a gas flame.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· The candle flame flickered.
The building was engulfed in flames. The book will serve to fan the flames of debate. The whole building went up in flames. (=a very angry row)· She had a blazing row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.
I tried to help, but all my suggestions were shot down in flames, as usual.· It certainly relit an old flame of interest within me, and sent me off in two different directions at once.· Well he happens to be an old flame of Mummy's.· A spot of work here and there, liberally interspersed with rendezvous with an old flame?· Mealticket Song Me and my old flame came wining-and-dining At this restaurant.· Hey, d' you hear about the fire-eater who couldn't go anywhere without meeting an old flame?· And his self-despite was so strong that he knew reviving an old flame or chasing some young actress would only aggravate it.
· Now Carter is on the verge of burning brighter than the Olympic flame.· Everywhere you look, there are zealous keepers of the Olympic flame.· Bondi is where the beach is burning hotter than the Olympic flame.· Associated Press Cathy Freeman ignites the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony.
· Brush on the chicken and cook on an open flame grill for 10 minutes.· On icy winter mornings, they bathe in foot tubs before the open flame of a rickety gas heater.· Camp stoves, lanterns, electric lanterns and propane heaters without open flames are allowed.· Phil Kelber said the evacuation was precautionary to reduce the risk that an open flame might come into contact with the gas.· Cook on an open flame grill for 10minutes only.
· Explosions: red flames and chunks of rock spouted from the slopes where the Counsellors had been standing.· Only the red flame now lives there.· His red hair was flame in the lamplight, but there was no colour in his face.· His tracers formed a red tongue of flame arcing down from nowhere.
· Brown stains caused by small flames crept inwards.· Slowly he and his acolytes processed up the center aisle, carrying the small ball of flame.· Cupped the small flame with a trembling hand.· On the Fire Hills A small flame scratches the tinder.· Some still threw buckets of snow into the small flames that lived.· A small flame of hope lit.· And the first small tongues of flame ignited somewhere inside her.· Michael collected sticks from the shrubbery and threw them on, making small flames leap up.
NOUN· Izzie crept out last, and pinched dead the candle flame.· Light bulbs, shaped like tiny candle flames, flicker.· She holds the adventurers at bay by holding the scroll over a candle flame and threatening to destroy it.· I stopped suddenly, the rage, like a candle flame, snuffed out.· Under these conditions the methane jets pushed the candle flame outside the gauze, causing explosions.· Heating an implement made of a straightened safety pin, he speared the bugs, then brought them to the candle flame.· The candle flame ran huge shadows like grasping fingers across the ceiling in the draught.
· The saffron-azure of the gas flame starred the orange dark.· Later we ate lunch in front of the trembling gas flame.· Woks are best used over a gas flame.· The process uses a natural gas flame to break down the effluent into sulphur dioxide.· Cookability Even though the gas flames are shielded, you lose none of the beauty of cooking with gas.· Skin the peppers by roasting over a gas flame or under the grill until the skin blisters black.· The front doors were almost bare of paint and shadows cast by the gas flame took on weird shapes.
VERB· As they watched, a tall tree in front of them seemed to be burning with a white flame.
· About midnight four days later, the headquarters building of the Housing Executive burst into flames and was badly damaged.· The fuel tanks on the planes rupture and burst into flame.· Car blazes: A car was destroyed when it burst into flames on a busy interchange on the A19 yesterday.· In his imagination it burst into flames.· But the smell was disagreeable and she was afraid that the white linen would burst into flame.· So an issue that smoldered for years has burst into flame.· Dad Mark managed to carry her to safety before the alarm burst into flames.· There is just one drawback to their island paradise: every so often it bursts into flame beneath them.
· However, they drew the line on being told to dance with flames during one number - it just sounded too dangerous.· The wildly dancing flames illuminated them.
· Mike Chittenden staggered in flames into a neighbouring office, where terrified workers doused the flames and administered first aid.· An over-clumsy turn of the flame adjuster towards the low heat setting can douse the flame.· They heard his screams and doused the flames before calling emergency services.· He dropped a lighted match in his lap, tried to douse the flames with brandy, and turned into a fireball.· Sprinklers doused the flames as the fire brigade arrived to finish the job.· The youngsters, aged 12 and six, were unable to douse the flames and Paul Griffiths died in hospital.
· Surrounding buildings had to be protected by a wall of water to stop them being engulfed by the flames.· And the ambulance was engulfed in flames before firemen caught up with it.· Two of the men were killed instantly, the third was engulfed in flames before he died an agonising death.· In seconds, the whole wreckage was engulfed in raging flames and happiness had turned to horror.· They reached safety seconds before the cafe was engulfed in flames.
· Firemen wearing breathing apparatus used special foam to extinguish the flames in the factory's North Works.· Nothing seemed to extinguish the flames.· When fire does occur, detecting, containing and extinguishing the flames are the three main principles of immediate action.
· Their efforts were hampered by recent dry weather and moderate winds fanning the flames.· As they toured the country showing the fruits of seismic tomography, they fanned the flames of interest in this new technique.· The work of the modern quantum chemist has helped to fan the flames of this debate.· Widespread fires generate their own wind, which fan the flames into devastating firestorms.· But the fact is that the very lack of evidence seems to fan the flames of suspicion.· Meanwhile, Spong, who fanned the flames of the debate in 1988 when he ordained the Rev.· In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, enlightened despotism, secularism, nationalism and liberalism had all fanned the flames.· That should be enough time to fan the flames of an all-out, old-fashioned quarterback squabble.
· There are no sounds except the flickering of the flame and the hiss of some burning wood that has not thoroughly dried.
· But oxygen tanks fuelled the flames.· The fatty ingredients fuelled the flames and damage was put a more than £1m.
· All the historical records have gone up in flames.· And when that happens, the whole system goes down in flames.· We know a city can go up in flames because of a burnt cake in Pudding Lane.· Just one month later, the entire house went up in flames, and both Dark and his wife were killed.· One of the Fellowship moved too close to the flames and a bull's mask went up in flames.· Another time, the school on the next block goes up in flames on a summer evening.· The whole town was going up in flames.· The car then went up in flames from the diesel fuel that spilled from the Amtrak engine.
· Associated Press Cathy Freeman ignites the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony.
· The faint hope he had offered shrivelled and died in the heat of the hungry, leaping flames.· The sea leapt like flames, boats were piling up in the marinas.
· Steam rises from the kettle and the pork chops sizzle, licked by flames from the dripping, igniting fat.
· His ring sparkled on her finger, lit by the flames of a fire in the grate.· The night sky was lit by flames from burning cars, the smoky air stinging with tear gas.
· I quenched the candle flame with my fingers and slid into the bed chamber.· Edward pulls out the splinter and hugs her to his chest to quench the flame.
· Any competent social scientist could have shot them down in flames.
· Office worker Bryan Johnson tore off his own shirt to smother the flames.· Police officers also tried to smother the flames with their jackets as Mr Griffiths lay next to his car.· Office worker Bryan Johnson managed to knock Mr Chittenden to the floor, tearing off his own shirt to smother the flames.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► go up in flames/burst into flamesPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► quench a fire/flames
1- By the time the firemen arrived the whole house was in flames.
- A mere firecracker would send the whole medina up in flames!
- Buildings were in flames and I could hear the screams and moans of the trapped and injured.
- Curtis Seber, who lived in the apartment where the fire began, said he returned to see the building in flames.
- His hair fled his scalp as if in flames.
- One wrong move and he would be up in flames.
- The film ends with the two Harley Davidsons going up in flames ...
- Ultimately it went down in flames.
- We know a city can go up in flames because of a burnt cake in Pudding Lane.
- She felt a flame of anger flicker and grow.
- It only added fuel to the fire.
- Once the process is under way, empire-building adds fuel to the fire, and more fat to the bureaucracy.
- Dad Mark managed to carry her to safety before the alarm burst into flames.
- Directly ahead, a pair of stately old coconut trees burst into flame.
- Like a sheet of crepe paper, the wooden house burst into flames and burned to the ground in minutes.
- Several of the vehicles burst into flames, according to initial reports.
- The airliner struck the ground some 50 metres short of the runway, turned over and burst into flames.
- The bomb, thrown out of the Ford Cortina's passenger window, burst into flames in the road.
- There is just one drawback to their island paradise: every so often it bursts into flame beneath them.
- They had both burst into flames after the explosion, police said.
- David Cottis, London At what point does breeze fan a flame rather than douse it?
- A very powerful naked light bulb hung from the office ceiling.
- Both men were armed, each carrying a naked sword and dirk.
- He is like a naked light.
- Obviously this is untrue - it is not the naked light that Blanche can not stand, it is the truth.
- She likes to cover up the truth like she covers over the naked light.
- She turned, all flaxen and pink and white, haloed by the naked light bulbs round the mirror.
- This gives a double meaning to Blanche's hatred of naked light.
- The incinerator became a roaring pillar of flame, its iron bars instantly glowing red hot.
- There was a pillar of smoke then, too.
[countable, uncountable] hot bright burning gas that you see when something is on fire: Flames poured out of the windows of the building. They rushed past us with buckets of water and tried to douse the flames. They sat around the campfire, watching the flickering flames. Flames quickly engulfed the building. a candle flame2in flames burning in a way that is difficult to control: When we reached Mandalay it was in flames. They escaped just as the house was engulfed in flames.3go up in flames/burst into flames to suddenly begin burning in a way that is difficult to control: The helicopter burst into flames after hitting a power line.4a flame of anger/desire/passion etc literary a strong feeling: Flames of desire shot through her.5[countable] an angry or rude email → old flame at old(4), → naked flame at naked(5), → fan the flames at fan2(2), → add fuel to the fire/flames at add(9)COLLOCATIONSverbsput out/extinguish the flames (=make them stop burning)· The firemen successfully put out the flames.douse the flames (=pour water on them to make them stop)· We used a bucket of water to douse the flames.smother the flames (=put something over them to make them stop burning)· Barry smothered the flames with a blanket.fan the flames (=make them burn more by waving something in front of them)· She used a large piece of card to fan the flames.a flame burns· The flames were burning brightly.a flame dies down (=burns less strongly)· By evening, the flames had gradually died down.a flame goes out (=stops burning)· Try not to let the flame go out.flames flicker (also flames dance literary) (=they move)· He watched the flames flickering in the fireplace.flames engulf something (=they completely surround and burn something)· Flames quickly engulfed the building.flames leap (=they go high into the air)· Flames were leaping up the chimney.flames lick something literary (=they touch something lightly)· Flames licked the darkening sky.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + flamea naked/an open flame (=not enclosed with a cover)· Never use a naked flame near spray paint.a candle flame· He lit the fire with the candle flame.a gas flame· The glass is heated over a gas flame.flame1 nounflame2 verb
flameflame2 verb [intransitive] VERB TABLE
flame
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | flame |
| he, she, it | flames | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | flamed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have flamed |
| he, she, it | has flamed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had flamed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will flame |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have flamed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am flaming |
| he, she, it | is flaming | |
| you, we, they | are flaming | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was flaming |
| you, we, they | were flaming | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been flaming |
| he, she, it | has been flaming | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been flaming |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be flaming |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been flaming |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Flaming your boss really isn't a good idea, however angry you are.
- Seeing the mockery in Johnny's eyes, Claire's cheeks flamed.
- My ears flamed, my small dark hostile eyes were awash.
- My rifles flamed and roared in the Federals' faces....
- She stared back at him, her cheeks flaming.
- This marble figure seems to flame and spiral up, surging, groaning like an earthquake, subsiding even as he rises.
- Those who ignore the above advice are likely to be flamed.
Longman Language Activatoremail
also e-mail electronic mail; the system that allows people to send messages and documents to each other by computer, or a message or file that has been sent using this system: · Email has revolutionized the way we all think and work.email address: · Give me your email address and I'll send you directions to the party.send an email: · I sent him an email two weeks ago, but I haven't heard anything back.
also e-mail to send someone a message or a computer file by email: · We'd been emailing each other for six months before we actually met.email somebody something: · I'll email you my résumé when I get home.
the traditional system of collecting and delivering letters, packages etc - use this when you are comparing this system to email: · Sorry about the snailmail - my email's not working.
a discussion group on the Internet, which consists of a list of people who can each send messages to the rest of the list by email
a document or file, for example a document from a word processor or spreadsheet, which is sent with an email so that it can be read and used by the person who receives the email: · I'm sending the document as an attachment. Please let me know if you have trouble reading it.
to connect a document or a file to an email: · I've attached the latest spreadsheet for you to look at.
to send someone a message that criticizes them on the Internet, especially in a rude or angry way: · Flaming your boss really isn't a good idea, however angry you are.
email messages that a computer user has not asked for and does not want to read, for example, messages from advertisers: · I was getting so much spam mail that I changed my email address.
if an email message that you send bounces or is bounced , it is automatically returned to you because of a technical problem: · She tried to mail him several times but the message always bounced.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The building was engulfed in flames. The book will serve to fan the flames of debate. The whole building went up in flames. I tried to help, but all my suggestions were shot down in flames, as usual.
· The candle flame flickered.
The building was engulfed in flames. The book will serve to fan the flames of debate. The whole building went up in flames. (=a very angry row)· She had a blazing row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.
I tried to help, but all my suggestions were shot down in flames, as usual.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► quench a fire/flames
1literary to become suddenly bright with light or colour, especially red or orange: - It only added fuel to the fire.
- Once the process is under way, empire-building adds fuel to the fire, and more fat to the bureaucracy.
- Dad Mark managed to carry her to safety before the alarm burst into flames.
- Directly ahead, a pair of stately old coconut trees burst into flame.
- Like a sheet of crepe paper, the wooden house burst into flames and burned to the ground in minutes.
- Several of the vehicles burst into flames, according to initial reports.
- The airliner struck the ground some 50 metres short of the runway, turned over and burst into flames.
- The bomb, thrown out of the Ford Cortina's passenger window, burst into flames in the road.
- There is just one drawback to their island paradise: every so often it bursts into flame beneath them.
- They had both burst into flames after the explosion, police said.
- David Cottis, London At what point does breeze fan a flame rather than douse it?
- A very powerful naked light bulb hung from the office ceiling.
- Both men were armed, each carrying a naked sword and dirk.
- He is like a naked light.
- Obviously this is untrue - it is not the naked light that Blanche can not stand, it is the truth.
- She likes to cover up the truth like she covers over the naked light.
- She turned, all flaxen and pink and white, haloed by the naked light bulbs round the mirror.
- This gives a double meaning to Blanche's hatred of naked light.
- The incinerator became a roaring pillar of flame, its iron bars instantly glowing red hot.
- There was a pillar of smoke then, too.
Erica’s cheeks flamed with anger.2literary to burn brightly: A great fire flamed in an open fireplace.3to send someone an angry or rude message in an email or on a bulletin board