fire

FY-ur/ˈfaɪ.ɚ/UKFY-uh/ˈfaɪ.ə/

Pluralfires

Verbfires, firing, fired

37 meanings of fire

Practice

1
destructive burningnouncountable
Dangerous burning in a building or other place, often started by accident, that can destroy things and hurt people.
Like a flood, but made of flames instead of water.
A fire destroyed three houses on our street last night.
Crews worked for hours to put out the fire.
UsageYou start or put out a fire. A burning thing is on fire.
Similarblaze, inferno, conflagration
2
noununcountable
What happens when something burns, as fuel joins with oxygen and gives off heat, usually with flames.
Like a chain reaction that keeps feeding itself as long as there is fuel and air.
Fire produces both heat and light as fuel burns.
Without enough oxygen, fire cannot keep burning.
UsageSay fire for burning in general, and a fire for one blaze.
Similarcombustion, burning, flame
3
sackverbtransitive
To make someone leave their job, or to stop working with someone, such as a customer.
Like a coach dropping a player from the team and telling them not to come back.
The manager had to fire him for stealing from the register.
They fired her after she missed too many shifts.
Similardismiss, sack, discharge
Oppositehire, employ, appoint
4
shoot (weapon)verbintransitive
To shoot a gun or other weapon, or to send a bullet or missile from it.
The soldiers fired when the enemy came close.
Wait for the signal before you fire.
UsageYou fire at something. open fire means start shooting.
Similarshoot
Note
5
lit for warmthnouncountable
A fire that people make on purpose, for example in a fireplace or at a campsite, to keep warm or cook.
Like a candle, but bigger and made to give heat or to cook.
We lit a fire to warm the cold room.
The campers sat around the fire and told stories.
UsageYou light a fire or make a fire, then sit by the fire.
Similarblaze
Note
6
noununcountable
Shots from guns or other weapons.
Like a hailstorm, but the things falling are bullets.
The soldiers ducked to avoid enemy fire.
They came under heavy fire while crossing the bridge.
UsageOften under fire or come under fire: being shot at.
Similargunfire, shooting
7
set ablazeverbtransitive
To deliberately make something, often a building, start burning.
The pirates fired the ship and rowed back to shore.
Long ago, farmers would fire the dry grass each spring to clear their land.
UsageIn everyday talk, say set fire to something.
Similarignite, light, kindle, torch, inflame
Oppositeextinguish, douse
Note
8
verbtransitive
To send something quickly and hard toward someone or something, like a ball or a question.
Like throwing a ball as hard and fast as you can at a target.
He fired a quick text to his sister before boarding.
Reporters love to fire questions at politicians.
UsageOften fire questions at someone.
Similarshoot, hurl, launch, drive
9
passionnouncountable or uncountable
Strong feeling or spirit, such as deep love, anger or eager energy.
Like a burning feeling inside that pushes you to act.
You could see the fire in her eyes as she spoke about justice.
His speech was full of fire and anger.
Similarpassion, fervor, ardor, intensity, heat
Oppositeapathy, indifference, coldness
Note
10
inspireverbtransitive
To make someone feel very excited, eager or angry.
Like adding fuel to a flame so feelings burn hotter.
Good teachers can fire students with a love of learning.
The coach's speech fired up the whole team before the big game.
UsageOften fire people up: make them excited.
Similarinspire, stir, excite, rouse, arouse
Oppositedampen, discourage
Note
11
fuel (furnace)verbtransitive or intransitive
To put fuel on the fire of a boiler, stove, or engine and keep it burning.
His job was to fire the school boiler early every morning.
On the old steam train, Grandpa fired while his friend drove.
Similarstoke, feed
Note
12
bake (pottery)verbtransitive
To heat something like clay or metal in a very hot oven to make it hard.
Like baking in an oven, but to make hard pots instead of food.
Potters fire their bowls in a very hot oven called a kiln.
You must fire the clay before you can paint it.
Similarbake
Note
13
nounUSuncountableus
The public service that puts out fires and helps in other emergencies, often named together with the police.
Police and fire got to the crash in five minutes.
The town is hiring more people for fire and police.
UsageSaid with no the, next to police: police and fire.
14
classical elementnoununcountable
Burning, seen in old science and philosophy as one of the basic things everything is made of.
Long ago, people thought everything was made of earth, water, air, and fire.
In alchemy, fire was linked with heat and dryness.
Note

Less common meanings

15
nounfigurativelycountable
A quick burst of many things, such as words or questions, coming at once.
Like many balls thrown at you all at the same time.
She came under fire from reporters over her decision.
At dinner, my little brother kept up a running fire of questions.
Usagecome under fire means be strongly criticized.
Similarbarrage, volley, hail, torrent, salvo
Note
16
excellentadjectiveslangnot before a noun
Very good, exciting, or impressive in a way people admire.
Like saying something is 'cool,' but with even more excitement.
That new song is absolutely fire.
Her new sneakers are fire.
Similaramazing, awesome, lit, dope, excellent
Oppositeterrible, awful
17
order to shootinterjection
A shouted order telling people to shoot their guns right now.
Like a coach yelling 'Go!' to start a race.
The captain shouted, "Fire!" and the cannons roared.
"Ready, aim, fire!" called the sergeant.
18
ignite (engine)verbtransitive
To start an engine, or make it begin to burn fuel and run.
Like turning a key to wake up a car's engine.
When the countdown hit zero, the rocket fired its engines.
Let's fire up the truck and get going.
UsageIn daily talk, say fire up the engine or car.
Similarignite, start (entry)
19
heaternounBritishcountable
A heater that warms a room, used instead of a real wood or coal fire.
Like a small electric heater that glows to look like real flames.
We switched on the electric fire to warm the sitting room.
Gran keeps an old gas fire in the front room.
UsageSay electric fire or gas fire, and switch it on.
Similarheater, stove
Note
20
gunnounslangcountable
A gun, usually a handgun.
Similargun, piece, heater
Note
21
gem sparklenouncountable or uncountable
The flashes of rainbow color that a cut gem throws off when light hits it.
Like the rainbow colors you see when light passes through a glass of water.
This diamond shows beautiful fire when you turn it in the light.
The jeweler praised the stone's fire and bright colors.
Similardispersion
Note
22
nerve signalverbintransitive
To send out a sudden electrical signal, the way a nerve cell does.
Like a light switch that suddenly turns on and sends power down the wire.
Brain cells fire whenever you have a thought.
The nerve will fire if the signal is strong enough.
Similarspike, discharge
Note
23
set offverbtransitive
To set off an explosive charge inside a mine.
Like lighting a firework so it goes off with a bang.
The crew will fire the charges once everyone is clear of the tunnel.
Miners fired the dynamite at the end of each shift.
Similardetonate, explode, trigger
Note
24
light upverbtransitive
To light something up with a bright, glowing color.
Like sunlight making a window glow as if it were on fire.
The sunset fired the sky with red and orange.
Dawn can fire the mountain peaks with gold.
Similarilluminate, light, lighten, brighten
Oppositedarken, dim
Note
25
warning shoutinterjection
Something you shout to tell people that something near is burning and they need to get to a safe place.
Someone smelled smoke in the hallway and yelled, "Fire!"
"Fire! Everybody out!" shouted the cook as flames rose from the stove.
Note
26
noun
One run of one or more rocket engines, from when they start until they are shut off.
27
verb
In computer programs, to make an event happen so that the code waiting for it starts to run.
28
noun
Strong imagination or eager passion for ideas.
29
noun
Bright shining light, or a star.
30
noun
A hard test, or something that makes people angry.
31
noun
A red shade inside some opals.
32
verb
To make something leave by using fire.
33
verbdated
To get angry or excited.
Love had fired my mind.
1700, [John] Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace”
34
verb
To burn part of a horse's body to treat an injury.
35
verbdated
To start to burn.
36
verbdated
To keep the fire going in a steam train or ship.
37
verb
Of a horse, to suddenly run much faster.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of fire apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 5–6, 9, 13–16, 19–21

It comes from Old English "fȳr," meaning fire, which goes back to very old Germanic and Indo-European roots.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The noun fire comes from Old English fȳr. en.wikipedia.org
Old English fȳr means fire. en.wiktionary.org
The word has Germanic and Indo-European ancestry. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3–4, 7–8, 10–12, 17–18, 22–25

This verb comes from Old English "fȳrian," meaning to make a fire, formed from the noun "fire."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The verb fire comes from Old English fȳrian. en.wiktionary.org
Old English fȳrian meant to make a fire. en.wiktionary.org
The verb was formed from the noun meaning fire. en.wiktionary.org