| 释义 |
fire off
fire F0133600 (fīr)n.1. a. A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance: destruction by fire.b. A specific instance of this change that destroys something: a house fire.c. A burning fuel: a cooking fire.2. Burning intensity of feeling; ardor or enthusiasm: a musical performance that had fire. See Synonyms at passion.3. Luminosity or brilliance, as of a cut and polished gemstone.4. Liveliness and vivacity of imagination; brilliance: the fire of an artistic genius.5. A severe test; a trial or torment: went through fire to become a leader.6. A fever or bodily inflammation: tormented by the fire in an infected toe.7. a. The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.b. The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.c. Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.8. Intense, repeated attack or criticism: answered the fire from her political critics.v. fired, fir·ing, fires v.tr.1. a. To cause to burn; ignite or set fire to: fired the enemy's encampment.b. To illuminate or cause to resemble fire, as in color: The morning sun fired the tops of the trees.2. a. To start (a fuel-burning engine or a vehicle with such an engine). Often used with up.b. To start or tend a fire in: fire a furnace.3. a. To arouse the emotions of; make enthusiastic or ardent. Often used with up: demonstrators who were fired up by their sense of injustice.b. To inspire or arouse (an emotion or the imagination).4. To bake or dry by heating, as in a kiln: fire pottery.5. a. To discharge (a firearm, for example).b. To detonate (an explosive).6. a. To propel (a projectile) from a weapon or launch (a missile): fired several rounds before the gun jammed.b. Informal To throw or propel with force and speed: fire a ball at a batter; fire a puck at the goal.c. To utter or direct with insistence: fired questions at the senator.7. Games To score (a number) in a game or contest: The golfer fired a 35 on the front nine.8. To end the employment or service of; dismiss. See Synonyms at dismiss.v.intr.1. To become ignited; flame up: wet kindling that just wouldn't fire.2. a. To shoot a weapon: aimed and fired at the target.b. To detonate an explosive.c. To ignite fuel; start: The engine fired right away.3. a. To send out a projectile; discharge: The cannons fired for hours.b. To propel or hurl a projectile: The pitcher wound up and fired.4. Physiology To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.5. To become yellowed or brown before reaching maturity, as grain.Phrasal Verbs: fire away Informal To start to talk or ask questions. fire off1. To utter or ask rapidly.2. To write and send (a letter, for example) in haste. fire up1. To cause to be ignited or to produce fire: fire up a cigar; fire up the grill.2. To cause to become excited or emotional: a speech that fired up the crowd.3. To bring to activity; start: Fire up the stereo!Idioms: between two fires Being attacked from two sources or sides simultaneously. on fire1. Ignited; ablaze.2. Filled with enthusiasm or excitement. start/light/build a fire under Slang To urge or goad to action. under fire1. Exposed or subjected to enemy attack.2. Exposed or subjected to critical attack or censure: an official who was under fire for mismanagement.
[Middle English fir, from Old English fȳr; see paəwr̥ in Indo-European roots.]
fire′a·ble adj.fir′er n.Word History: Indo-European, the protolanguage from which English and many other languages descend, had pairs of words for some very common things, such as water or fire. Typically, one word in the pair was active, animate, and personified; the other, impersonal and neuter in grammatical gender. In the case of the pair of words for "fire," English has descendants of both, one inherited directly from Germanic, the other borrowed from Latin. Fire goes back to the neuter member of the pair. In Old English "fire" was fȳr, from Germanic *fūr. The Indo-European form behind *fūr is *pūr, whence also the Greek neuter noun pūr, the source of the prefix pyro-. The other Indo-European word for fire appears in ignite, derived from the Latin word for fire, ignis, from Indo-European *egnis. The Russian word for fire, ogon' (stem form ogn-), and the Sanskrit agni-, "fire" (deified as Agni, the god of fire), also come from *egnis, the active, animate, and personified word for fire.Translationsfire off
fire off1. To hastily write and send a message. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." He's always firing off angry emails and getting himself into trouble.2. To make statements or ask questions in rapid succession. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." He fired off so many questions that I couldn't keep track of them all.3. To shoot a weapon. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." Someone is out in the woods firing off a gun of some kind.See also: fire, offfire something off (to someone)Fig. to send something to someone immediately, by a very rapid means. Fire a letter off to Fred, ordering him to return home at once. I fired off a letter to Fred as you asked. I finished the e-mail and fired it off.See also: fire, offfire offSay or write and send away rapidly, as in He fired off three more questions, or She fired off a letter of complaint to the president. This expression originally (from about 1700) was, and still is, used in the sense of "discharge a weapon or ammunition," as in The police were instructed to fire off canisters of tear gas. The figurative use dates from the late 1800s. See also: fire, offfire offv.1. To say or ask something rapidly, especially a question or command: The prosecutor fired questions off to the witness. My parents fired off reasons why my plan wouldn't work.2. To write and send a communication quickly: I fired off a positive reply to the job offer. My friend fired an angry letter off to the editor.3. To shoot something from a weapon, especially in quick succession: The police officer fired off warning shots when the suspect approached them. At the parade, the color guard fired three shots off.See also: fire, offEncyclopediaSeeFireThesaurusSeefire |