a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
a burning mass of material, as on a hearth or in a furnace.
the destructive burning of a building, town, forest, etc.; conflagration.
heat used for cooking, especially the lighted burner of a stove.
Put the kettle on the fire.
flashing light; luminous appearance.
brilliance, as of a gem.
burning passion; excitement or enthusiasm; ardor.
liveliness of imagination.
fever or inflammation.
severe trial or trouble; ordeal.
exposure to fire as a means of torture or ordeal.
strength, as of an alcoholic beverage.
a spark or sparks.
the discharge of firearms.
enemy fire.
the effect of firing military weapons.
to pour fire upon the enemy.
British. a gas or electric heater used for heating a room.
Literary. a luminous object, as a star.
heavenly fires.
to set on fire.
to supply with fuel or attend to the fire of (often followed byup ).
They fired the boiler.
to expose to the action of fire; subject to heat.
to apply heat to in a kiln for baking or glazing; burn.
to heat very slowly for the purpose of drying, as tea.
to inflame, as with passion; fill with ardor (often followed byup ).
to inspire.
to light or cause to glow as if on fire.
to discharge (a gun).
to project (a bullet or the like) by or as if by discharging from a gun.
to subject to explosion or explosive force, as a mine.
to cause (a device, machine, etc.) to start working (usually followed byup ).
I just fired up my new laptop.
to hurl; throw.
to fire a stone through a window.
to dismiss from a job.
Veterinary Medicine. to apply a heated iron to (the skin) in order to create a local inflammation of the superficial structures, with the intention of favorably affecting deeper inflammatory processes.
to drive out or away by or as by fire.
to take fire; be kindled.
to glow as if on fire.
to become inflamed with passion; become excited.
to shoot, as a gun.
to discharge a gun.
to fire at a fleeing enemy.
to hurl a projectile.
Music. to ring the bells of a chime all at once.
(of plant leaves) to turn yellow or brown before the plant matures.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to cause ignition of the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder or cylinders.
(of a nerve cell) to discharge an electric impulse.
fire off
to discharge (as weapons, ammunition, etc.).
Police fired off canisters of tear gas.
to write and send hurriedly.
She fired off an angry letter to her congressman.
fire away to begin to talk and continue without slackening, as to ask a series of questions.
The reporters fired away at the president.
fight fire with fire, to use the same tactics as one's opponent; return like for like.
take fire,
to become ignited; burn.
to become inspired with enthusiasm or zeal.
Everyone who heard him speak immediately took fire.
set fire to, Also set on fire.
to cause to burn; ignite.
to excite; arouse; inflame.
The painting set fire to the composer's imagination.
play with fire, to trifle with a serious or dangerous matter.
He didn't realize that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
build a fire under, to cause or urge to take action, make a decision quickly, or work faster.
If somebody doesn't build a fire under that committee, it will never reach a decision.
catch (on) fire, to become ignited; burn: The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
The sofa caught fire from a lighted cigarette.
The movie set nearly caught on fire when a fire-related special effect went out of control.
between two fires, under physical or verbal attack from two or more sides simultaneously.
The senator is between two fires because of his stand on the bill.
hang fire,
to be delayed in exploding, or fail to explode.
to be undecided, postponed, or delayed.
The new housing project is hanging fire because of concerted opposition.
go through fire and water, to brave any danger or endure any trial.
He said he would go through fire and water to win her hand.
miss fire,
to fail to explode or discharge, as a firearm.
to fail to produce the desired effect; be unsuccessful.
He repeated the joke, but it missed fire the second time.
on fire,
ignited; burning; afire.
eager; ardent; zealous.
They were on fire to prove themselves in competition.
under fire,
under attack, especially by military forces.
under censure or criticism.
The school administration is under fire for its policies.
catch fire, to create enthusiasm.
His new book did not catch fire among his followers.
finance, insurance, and real estate: the sector of the economy that revolves around financial transactions of various kinds made by professional agents for their clients.
financial independence, retire early: a movement among relatively young, well-paid professionals, especially those working in the tech industry, to achieve financial independence and retire early by radically cutting expenses and investing as much of their income and savings as possible.
the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke
a mass of burning coal, wood, etc, used esp in a hearth to heat a room
( in combination )
firewood
firelighter
a destructive conflagration, as of a forest, building, etc
a device for heating a room, etc
something resembling a fire in light or brilliance
a diamond's fire
a flash or spark of or as if of fire
the act of discharging weapons, artillery, etc
the shells, etc, fired
a burst or rapid volley
a fire of questions
intense passion; ardour
liveliness, as of imagination, thought, etc
a burning sensation sometimes produced by drinking strong alcoholic liquor
fever and inflammation
a severe trial or torment (esp in the phrase go through fire and water )
to ignite
to attract the criticism or censure of someone
to delay firing
to delay or be delayed
the evidence strongly suggests something has indeed happened
in a state of ignition
ardent or eager
informal playing or performing at the height of one's abilities
to start firing a gun, artillery, etc
to be involved in something risky
to ignite
to arouse or excite
informal to cause a great sensation
being attacked, as by weapons or by harsh criticism
(modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius Compare earth air water
to discharge (a firearm or projectile) or (of a firearm, etc) to be discharged
to detonate (an explosive charge or device) or (of such a charge or device) to be detonated
informal (tr) to dismiss from employment
(tr) ceramics to bake in a kiln to harden the clay, fix the glaze, etc
to kindle or be kindled; ignite
(tr) to provide with fuel
oil fires the heating system
(intr) to tend a fire
(tr) to subject to heat
(tr) to heat slowly so as to dry
(tr) to arouse to strong emotion
to glow or cause to glow
(intr) (of an internal-combustion engine) to ignite
(intr) (of grain) to become blotchy or yellow before maturity
vet science another word for cauterize
informal (intr) (of a sportsman, etc) to play well or with enthusiasm
a cry to warn others of a fire
the order to begin firing a gun, artillery, etc
What is fire? Fire is what happens when a material is ignited and combined with oxygen, resulting in combustion. This results in light, heat, and a visible effect that usually appears as orange or yellow flames. Fire typically requires three ingredients: heat, fuel (something to burn), and oxygen. Fire is hard to describe since it’s different from the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of matter we’re used to observing (fire is usually a mixture of hot gases, but sometimes it’s a plasma, depending on what’s burning). But you know it when you see it: if you’ve ever lit a match or candle or burned wood in a fireplace, you’ve created fire. We describe an instance of fire as a fire, as in a fire in the fireplace or a house fire. If something is burning or consumed by fire, we say it is on fire, as in The stove is on fire. Fire can also be used metaphorically, such as to refer to intensity or extreme passion, as in The fire in my heart. It’s also commonly used in many idioms and expressions (such as fight fire with fire and playing with fire), and, more recently, as a slang term meaning awesome (as in Those shoes are fire). As a verb, fire commonly means to discharge a gun or to dismiss someone from a job. Fire has many other, more specific meanings as both a noun and a verb, and most of them are related in some way to literal fire. Example: The boss fired Dave after he fired a starter pistol inside the office, causing the ceiling to catch on fire.
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English fȳr; cognate with Old Norse fūrr, German Feuer, Greek pŷr ( see pyro-); (verb) Middle English firen “to kindle, inflame,” derivative of the noun; see igneous ( def. )
If you gather kindling and logs and burn them, then you've made a fire. For safety, you should make your fire in a fire pit or fireplace, but for fun, you can toast marshmallows over the fire. As a verb, fire can mean to discharge a weapon. Your hometown might fire a cannon on the common each year to celebrate the Fourth of July. Rather than use a real cannonball, they probably fire it with blanks. The verb fire can also mean to terminate from a position of employment. It's no fun to have to fire someone, especially the guy you fire is your brother.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He had tried to limit open-air drills at the training grounds, a legacy of Ukraine’s Soviet-style military that unnecessarily exposed troops to Russian fire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"The fire is expected to continue burning for several days, and firefighters remain at the scene to prevent it spreading further and putting lives, wildlife and property at risk," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
If he had amassed the same number of records, skateboard decks or vintage gaming consoles — all fire hazards — would he have gotten the same eviction warning?
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
In southern France, a fire in the area of Ponteves northeast of the city of Marseille had stabilised on Thursday after ripping through 2,500 hectares and destroying 10 houses, officials said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
He ran a claw over the familiar iron frame, a little scuffed and warped from all the times he’d used it to start the hearth fire.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
“It’s still FIRE, just on your terms,” she said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026
Although the word “retirement” is part of FIRE, a lot of people who pursue this lifestyle are generating income through blogs, speaking arrangements, or consulting work.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 15, 2025
It looks like they are making an effort to protect free speech, said Sean Stevens, who runs the rankings for FIRE.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, has collected other egregious examples from around the continent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2025
For van Helmont, Air was one of the four 'Elements', EARTH, WATER, AIR, and FIRE.
From Man or Matter by Lehrs, Ernst
Areas in this region are under a "very high" warning for forest fires from Forecaster Météo-France.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Tesla is on track for its worst post-earnings performance since Nov. 6, 2013, when Model S fires and supply constraints concerned investors, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Supply disruptions caused by fires at some of Hyundai’s contract auto-component makers hurt domestic sales, the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"There have always been fires -- but not this fierce, not as wild as the ones we see now," he insisted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
He saw five separate fires in different parts of Beaverville.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
Acosta said that officers from two of the police agencies on scene had fired their weapons multiple times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
In 1982, after Reilly brought Boxer to a decisive primary victory in her first congressional race, she fired him over excessive campaign spending, the Times reported in the 1994 profile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
A Chinese submarine fired the ballistic missile fitted with a dummy warhead earlier this month, reaching far into the Pacific Ocean.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The chief executive has rarely fired executives who have fallen out of favor during his 20-year career.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
According to later reports, the spectators on the hillside flinched and covered their ears as the Mary Rose fired a broadside from its starboard side at one of the French vessels.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Some protesters say the firing of Syrskyi is not enough, vowing to continue their street demonstrations until Fedorov is reinstated as defence minister.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
They were still reeling from the dramatic firing of manager Alex Cora and five of his coaches that threw the organization into turmoil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The day you reach the summit, nobody hands you a new one, so the muscle you spent four decades building keeps firing at the wrong target.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
And SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes added that the "Fed can keep the gun on the table without firing it".
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Mariya Smirnova, the squadron commander, noticed the silence and reasoned—correctly—that the only reason the antiaircraft guns would stop firing was because there must be German night fighter aircraft patrolling the sky.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.