fire
| singular | fire |
| plural | fires |
- 1countable/uncountable flames and heat from something that is burning in an uncontrolled way
The school was badly damaged by fire.
Three children died in a fire at their home last night.
be destroyed by fire:The theatre was completely destroyed by fire.
start a fire:It is thought that local youths may have started the fire.
fight/tackle/put out a fire:Twenty firefighters tackled the fire.
a fire breaks out:a fire broke out in a Paris nightclub.
a forest fire:The hot dry weather has increased the risk of forest fires.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for firefireblazewildfire - 2countable a small pile of burning wood, coal etc that you make in order to produce heat
a coal fire
make/build a fire:We went off to collect wood to build a fire.
light a fire:Once the fire was lit, the room seemed more inviting.
a blazing/roaring fire:We sat in front of a blazing log fire.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for firefireblazewildfire - 3countable Britisha piece of equipment that uses electricity or gas to heat a rooman electric/gas fire:
There was an old gas fire in the bedroom.
Synonyms and related wordsHeating and air-conditioninga/cairair-conditioned - 4uncountable shots from a gun
We heard a sudden loud burst of machine gun fire.
Armed police arrived on the scene, and there was an exchange of fire.
Synonyms and related wordsGunfire and shootingcome under firecovercrossfire - 5uncountable formalstrong feelings such as anger or enthusiasm
His words were full of fire and passion.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for moods and emotionsmoodemotionfeelings - 6
fire and brimstone
the torments of hell, or descriptions of thisOn the wicked God shall rain fire and brimstone.fire and brimstone church meetingsSubmitted from:
United Kingdom on 27/02/2019 - 7
hold someone’s feet to the fire
to make someone accountableThey should hold his feet to the fire on statements he makes on complicated issues like defense and fiscal policy.Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 21/08/2016
fire
| singular | fire |
| plural | fires |
- 1countable/uncountable flames and heat from something that is burning in an uncontrolled way
The school was badly damaged by fire.
Three children died in a fire at their home last night.
be destroyed by fire:The theater was completely destroyed by fire.
start a fire:It is thought that lightning may have started the fire.
fight/tackle/put out a fire:Twenty firefighters tackled the fire.
a fire breaks out:a fire broke out in a Paris nightclub.
a forest fire:The hot dry weather has increased the risk of forest fires.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for firefireblazewildfire - 2countable a small pile of burning wood, coal, etc. that you make in order to produce heat
a coal fire
make/build a fire:We went off to collect wood to build a fire.
light a fire:Once the fire was lit, the room seemed more cozy.
a blazing/roaring fire:We sat in front of a blazing log fire.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for firefireblazewildfire - 3uncountable shots from a gun
We heard a sudden loud burst of machine-gun fire.
The police arrived on the scene, and there was an exchange of fire.
Synonyms and related wordsGunfire and shootingcome under firecovercrossfire - 4uncountable formalstrong feelings such as anger or enthusiasm
His words were full of fire and passion.
Synonyms and related wordsGeneral words for moods and emotionsmoodemotionfeelings - 5countable Britisha piece of equipment that uses electricity or gas to heat a roomSynonyms and related wordsHeating and air-conditioninga/cairair-conditioned
- 6
fire and brimstone
the torments of hell, or descriptions of thisOn the wicked God shall rain fire and brimstone.fire and brimstone church meetingsSubmitted from:
United Kingdom on 27/02/2019 - 7
hold someone’s feet to the fire
to make someone accountableThey should hold his feet to the fire on statements he makes on complicated issues like defense and fiscal policy.Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 21/08/2016
fire
| present tense | |
| I/you/we/they | fire |
| he/she/it | fires |
| present participle | firing |
| past tense | fired |
| past participle | fired |
- 1intransitive/transitive if a weapon fires, or if someone fires it, someone uses it to shoot
She squeezed the trigger, but the gun failed to fire.
fire at:Jed lifted his rifle and fired at the target.
fire on/upon:Police threatened to fire on demonstrators.
fire a gun/weapon:The rebels fired their machine guns into the air.
fire a bullet/round/shot/missile etc:Several shots were fired, and three men were seen running away.
fire back (=shoot at someone who is shooting at you):The gunmen fired, and police fired back.
Synonyms and related wordsTo use a gunaimat gunpointcock - 2transitive to make someone leave their job, sometimes as a punishment
She was fired for refusing to comply with safety regulations.
He’s the person responsible for hiring and firing.
Synonyms and related wordsForcing someone and being forced to leave a jobfirelay offretire - 3transitive if you fire questions at someone, you ask them a lot of questions very quickly, so that it is difficult for them to answerfire questions at someone:
Reporters fired questions at her as she left the court house.
Synonyms and related wordsTo ask a question or questionsaskquestiondemand - 4intransitive if an engine fires, it starts to workSynonyms and related wordsEngine and machine behaviourbackfireburn upcome to life
- 5transitive to bake clay at a very high temperature so that it becomes very hardSynonyms and related wordsPotteryceramicschina clayfire
fire
| present tense | |
| I/you/we/they | fire |
| he/she/it | fires |
| present participle | firing |
| past tense | fired |
| past participle | fired |
- 1intransitive/transitive if a weapon fires, or if someone fires it, someone uses it to shoot
She squeezed the trigger, but the gun failed to fire.
fire at:Jed lifted his rifle and fired at the target.
fire on/upon:The police threatened to fire on demonstrators.
fire a gun/weapon:The rebels fired their machine guns into the air.
fire a bullet/round/shot/missile etc.:Several shots were fired, and three men were seen running away.
fire back (=shoot at someone who is shooting at you):The gunmen fired, and the police fired back.
Synonyms and related wordsTo use a gunaimat gunpointcock - 2transitive to make someone leave their job, sometimes as a punishment
She was fired for refusing to comply with safety regulations.
He’s the person responsible for hiring and firing.
Synonyms and related wordsForcing someone and being forced to leave a jobfirelay offretire - 3intransitive if an engine fires, it starts to workSynonyms and related wordsEngine and machine behaviorbackfireburn upcome to life
- 4transitive to bake clay at a very high temperature so that it becomes very hardSynonyms and related wordsPotteryceramicschina clayfire
- 5transitive if you fire questions at someone, you ask them a lot of questions very quickly, so that it is difficult for them to answerfire questions at someone:
Reporters fired questions at her as she left the court house.
Synonyms and related wordsTo ask a question or questionsaskquestiondemand