fire
Meanings
- 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.
- 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).
- The occurrence, often accidental, of fire in a certain place, causing damage and danger.
- The aforementioned chemical reaction of burning, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
- A heater or stove used in place of a real fire (such as an electric fire).
- The elements necessary to start a fire.
- The bullets or other projectiles fired from a gun or other ranged weapon.
- A planned bombardment by artillery or similar weapons, or the capability to deliver such.
- A firearm.
- A barrage, volley
- An instance of firing one or more rocket engines.
- Strength of passion, whether love or hate.
- Amazing; excellent.
- To set (something, often a building) on fire.
- To heat as with fire, but without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc.
- To drive away by setting a fire.
- To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct, incompetence, or poor performance).
- To terminate a contract with a client; to drop a client.
- To shoot (a gun, rocket/missile, or analogous device).
- To shoot a gun, cannon, or similar weapon.
- To operate a rocket engine to produce thrust.
- To set off an explosive in a mine.
- To shoot; to attempt to score a goal.
- To cause an action potential in a cell.
- To forcibly direct (something).
- Command to shoot with firearms.
- Acronym of financial independence and retire early.
- Acronym of finance, insurance and real estate, a class of businesses.
- Acronym of Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (formerly Foundation for Individual Rights in Education): a non-profit civil liberties group founded in 1999 with the aim of protecting free speech rights on college campuses in the United States.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ Proto-Germanic *fōr Proto-West Germanic *fuir Old English fȳr Middle English fyr English fire 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”), Central Franconian Fauer, Feier, Füür (“fire”), Cimbrian bôar, vaür, vôar (“fire”), Dutch vier, vuur (“fire”), German Feuer (“fire”), German Low German Füer, Füür (“fire”), Luxembourgish Feier (“fire”), Mòcheno vaier (“fire”), Vilamovian faojer (“fire”), West Flemish vier (“fire”), Yiddish פֿײַער (fayer, “fire”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish fyr (“fire”), Icelandic funi (“fire”), Gothic 𐍆𐍉𐌽 (fōn, “fire”). Also, compare Armenian հուր (hur, “fire”), Greek πυρ (pyr, “fire”), Latin pūrgō (“to clean, cleanse, clear, purge, purify”), Umbrian 𐌐𐌉𐌓 (pir, “fire”), Bulgarian фир (fir, “ooze, pickle, soak”), Polish perz (“smoke”), Hittite 𒉺𒄴𒄯 (paḫḫur, “fire”), Luwian 𒉺𒀀𒄷𒌋𒌨 (pāhūr, “fire”), Tocharian A/B por/puwar (“fire”). This was an inanimate noun whose animate counterpart was Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥gʷnis (see ignite). Cognate to pyre.