Definition of "fire"

fire¹

/ˈfaɪ.ə/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural fires
1. (uncountable) 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.
2. (countable) 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).
  Quotations
  We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove.
  1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 8, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
3. (countable) The occurrence, often accidental, of fire in a certain place, causing damage and danger.
  Quotations
  Efforts to fight the fires in New South Wales and Victoria were hampered as large fires converged and created their own violent weather systems. The fire created dry lightning storms so severe that planes had to be grounded.
  2020 January 1, Bernard Lagan, “Thousands flee to beaches as the flames close in”, in The Times, number 73,044, page 24
4. (uncountable, alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned chemical reaction of burning, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
5. (countable, Britain) A heater or stove used in place of a real fire (such as an electric fire).
6. (countable) The elements necessary to start a fire.
7. (uncountable) The bullets or other projectiles fired from a gun or other ranged weapon.
8. (countable) A planned bombardment by artillery or similar weapons, or the capability to deliver such.
9. (countable, figurative) A barrage, volley
  Quotations
  In the district of Erfurt a very heavy sheaf [...] is called the Great Mother, and is carried on the last waggon to the barn, where all hands lift it down amid a fire of jokes.
  1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 7, page 136
10. (astronautics) An instance of firing one or more rocket engines.
11. Strength of passion, whether love or hate.
  Quotations
  He had fire in his temper.
  1687, Francis Atterbury, An Answer to Some Considerations on the Spirit of Martin Luther and the Original of the Reformation; […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Sheldonian] Theater
  You call it hope—that fire of fire!It is but agony of desire: […]
  1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems
12. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm.
  Quotations
  And bless their critic with a poet's fire.
  1709, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W. Lewis […], published 1711
13. Splendour; brilliancy; lustre; hence, a star.
  Quotations
  Stars, hide your fires.
  c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iv]
  As in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires.
  1667, John Milton, “Book XII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
14. A severe trial; anything inflaming or provoking.
15. Red coloration in a piece of opal.
adjective
not comparable
1. (slang) Amazing; excellent.

fire²

/ˈfaɪ.ə/

verb
third-person singular simple present fires, present participle firing, simple past and past participle fired
1. (transitive) To set (something, often a building) on fire.
  Quotations
  ["]Then I slipped up again with a box of matches, fired my heap of paper and rubbish, put the chairs and bedding thereby, led the gas to the affair, by means of an india-rubber tube, and waving a farewell to the room left it for the last time." / "You fired the house!" exclaimed Kemp. / "Fired the house. It was the only way to cover my trail – and no doubt it was insured.["]
  1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “At the House in Great Portland Street”, in The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance, New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, page 186
  That lamp was the mummy of a woman tied to a stout stake let into the rock, and he had fired her hair.
  1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887
  It was long a question of debate, whether the burning of the South Side ghetto was accidental, or whether it was done by the Mercenaries; but it is definitely settled now that the ghetto was fired by the Mercenaries under orders from their chiefs.
  1908, Jack London, The Iron Heel‎, New York: The Macmillan Company
2. (transitive) To heat as with fire, but without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc.
  Quotations
  So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly it made a brave picture. I had seen similar ones fired-in on many a Heidelberg stein. Backed by towering hills, […] a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.
  1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company
3. (transitive) To drive away by setting a fire.
  Quotations
  Till my bad angel fire my good one out.
  1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 144”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley
4. (transitive) To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct or poor performance).
  Quotations
  The first, obvious choice was hysterical and fantastic Blanche – had there not been her timidity, her fear of being ‘fired’ […].
  1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 226
5. (transitive, by extension) To terminate a contract with a client; to drop a client.
  Quotations
  Don't be hesitant to fire a client - cull out the deadwood. If a client doesn't meet the above criteria, you are better off without him. You don't do your best work for a client you'd rather not have.
  1979, Richard Collins Rea, Operating a Successful Accounting Practice: A Collection of Material from the Journal of Accountancy Practitioners Forum, page 288
  Maintaining a collegial attitude even when doing the more difficult business work, like firing a client, is another part. If you are struggling through the relationship, the client might be struggling as well, so firing them may be mutually beneficial, and you should try and do it on the best of terms.
  2020, Rebecca Migdal, Museum Mercenary: A Handbook for Independent Museum Professionals, page 278
6. (transitive) To shoot (a gun, rocket/missile, or analogous device).
7. (intransitive) To shoot a gun, cannon, or similar weapon.
  Quotations
  I heard that both yesterday and today, when transports of the central government carrying our soldiers arrived at Hu-lu-tao, bandit troops on the shore fired at them.
  1989, Dolores Zen, transl., Last Chance in Manchuria‎, Hoover Institution Press, page 93
8. (astronautics) To operate a rocket engine to produce thrust.
9. (transitive, mining) To set off an explosive in a mine.
  Quotations
  `Now are you both ready?' I said, as people do when they are going to fire a mine.
  1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887
10. (transitive, sports) To shoot; to attempt to score a goal.
  Quotations
  Andrey Arshavin equalised with a superb volley into the corner before Nicklas Bendtner coolly fired Arsenal in front.
  2010 December 29, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2-2 Arsenal”, in BBC
11. (intransitive, physiology) To cause an action potential in a cell.
12. (transitive) To forcibly direct (something).
13. (transitive, intransitive, computer sciences, software engineering) To initiate an event (by means of an event handler).
14. (transitive) To inflame; to irritate, as the passions.
15. (intransitive, dated) To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
  Quotations
  Inexperienced girl as I was, I fired at the idea of becoming his dupe, and fancying, perhaps, that there was more in merely answering his note than it would have amounted to, I said — "That kind of thing may answer very well with button-makers, but ladies don't like it. […]
  1864, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas
  Love had fired my mind.
  1700, [John] Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
16. To animate; to give life or spirit to.
17. To feed or serve the fire of.
  Quotations
  We left with the "Blue Train", dead on time. This time I fired all the way. […] The next day took me home again on No. E.16 with Henri Dutertre. I fired from Paris to Calais.
  1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 150, 151
18. (transitive) To light up as if by fire; to illuminate.
  Quotations
  [The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines.
  c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii]
19. (transitive, farriery) To cauterize.
20. (intransitive, dated) To catch fire; to be kindled.
interjection
1. command to shoot with firearms

Definition of "fire"

fire1

noun

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adjective

fire2

verb

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interjection

fire¹

fire²