noun

fire

FEYE-uh

noun

The chemical reaction of burning, producing heat, light, and flame.

"They gathered around the fire to keep warm."

"A fire broke out in the warehouse overnight."

Bullets or projectiles shot from a weapon, or the act of shooting.

"The soldiers took cover under enemy fire."

verb

To shoot a weapon.

"The officer fired a warning shot into the air."

To dismiss someone from their job.

"The manager fired two employees for repeated lateness."

To set something alight, or to heat it strongly, as with ceramics.

"The pottery is fired in a kiln at high temperature."

How to Use Fire

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBurning combustion; also, to shoot a weapon or to dismiss someone from a job.

Common mistake

In business contexts, "fire" (dismiss) is more blunt/informal than "terminate" or "let go" — choose based on tone needed.

Common pairings

catch fire fire someone open fire fire away

Word Forms

fired past tense, fires plural, fire plural, fired plural, fires singular, fire singular, fired singular, firest singular, firedst singular, fireth singular

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Can you complete this real example?

They gathered around the _____ to keep warm.

Etymology

From Old English fyr, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with German Feuer and Dutch vuur, ultimately tracing to an ancient Indo-European word for fire.

Synonyms

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blaze flame conflagration inferno

Related Words

flame lover blaze defame inferno firestorm

Rhymes for fire

ire wire tire lire dire hire mire sire afire Zaire spire shire

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