English Explanatory Dictionary

inflame

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To set (something) on fire; to cause (something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
To intensify or kindle (a feeling, such as appetite or passion); to excite to an excessive or unnatural action or heat.
To provoke (a person) to anger or rage; to exasperate; to irritate; to incense; to enrage.
To put in a state of inflammation; to produce morbid heat, congestion, or swelling, of.
To exaggerate; to enlarge upon.
To grow morbidly hot, congested, or painful; to become angry or incensed.

Pronunciation

/ɪnˈfleɪ̯m/ [ɪnˈfleɪ̯m] [ɪɱˈfleɪ̯m] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-inflame.wav

Word forms

inflame inflames inflaming inflamed enflame

Etymology

From Middle English inflammen, enflamen, enflaumen, from Old French enflammer (“to inflame”), from Latin inflammō (“to kindle, set on fire”, verb), from in (“in, on”) + flamma (“flame”), equivalent to in- + flame.

Synonyms

aflame ignite kindle alight conflagrate fire fire up inflame light light up set ablaze set afire set aflame set alight set fire set on fire torch arouse excite provoke abet actuate goose light a fire under send sting bring about cheer draw drive encourage egg on engender evoke foment goad grill impel incite induce instigate invoke lash motive motivate move obligate oblige push promote prompt rouse set off spark off spur spur on stimulate stir stir up stoke

Related words

inflammable inflammation inflammatory

Derived words

disinflame inflamer reinflame

Translations

Albanian: kall Bulgarian: разпалвам Czech: roznítit Finnish: herättää German: anregen

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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