fire

Etymology 1

From Middle English fyr, from Old English fȳr (“fire”), from Proto-West Germanic *fuir, from *fuïr, a regularised form of Proto-Germanic *fōr (“fire”) (compare Saterland Frisian Fjuur, West Frisian fjoer, Dutch vuur, Low German Füer, German Feuer, Danish fyr), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥. Compare Hittite 𒉺𒄴𒄯 (paḫḫur), Umbrian pir, Tocharian A/B por/puwar, Czech pýř (“hot ashes”), Ancient Greek πῦρ (pûr, “fire”), and Armenian հուր (hur, “fire”). This was an inanimate noun whose animate counterpart was Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥gʷnis (see ignite). Cognate to pyre.

noun

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).
   We sat about the fire singing songs and telling tales.
   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.
   There was a fire at the school last night and the whole place burned down.
   During hot and dry summers many fires in forests are caused by regardlessly discarded cigarette butts.
   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. January 1, 2020, 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.
   The fire was laid and needed to be lit.
7. (uncountable) The bullets or other projectiles fired from a gun or other ranged weapon.
   The fire from the enemy guns kept us from attacking.
8. (countable) A planned bombardment by artillery or similar weapons, or the capability to deliver such.
   We dominated the battlespace with our fires.
9. (countable, figurative) A barrage, volley
   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.
    static fire
11. Strength of passion, whether love or hate.
12. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm.
13. Splendour; brilliancy; lustre; hence, a star.
14. A severe trial; anything inflaming or provoking.
15. Red coloration in a piece of opal.

adj

1. (slang) Amazing; excellent.
   That shit is fire, yo!

Etymology 2

From Middle English firen, fyren, furen, from Old English fȳrian (“to make a fire”), from the noun (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian fioria (“to light a fire”), Saterland Frisian fjuurje (“to fire”), Middle Dutch vûren, vueren, vieren (“to set fire”), Dutch vuren (“to fire, shoot”), Old High German fiuren (“to ignite, set on fire”), German feuern (“to fire”).

verb

1. (transitive) To set (something, often a building) on fire.
2. (transitive) To heat as with fire, but without setting on fire, as ceramic, metal objects, etc.
   If you fire the pottery at too high a temperature, it may crack.
   They fire the wood to make it easier to put a point on the end.
3. (transitive) To drive away by setting a fire.
4. (transitive) To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct or poor performance).
   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.
   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, →OCLC, 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, →OCLC, page 278
6. (transitive) To shoot (a gun, rocket/missile, or analogous device).
   We will fire our guns at the enemy.
   The jet fired a salvo of rockets at the truck convoy.
   He fired his radar gun at passing cars.
7. (intransitive) To shoot a gun, cannon, or similar weapon.
   Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes.
   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, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 93
8. (astronautics) To operate a rocket engine to produce thrust.
   The RCS thrusters fired several times to stabilize the tumbling spacecraft.
9. (transitive, mining) To set off an explosive in a mine.
10. (transitive, sports) To shoot; to attempt to score a goal.
    Andrey Arshavin equalised with a superb volley into the corner before Nicklas Bendtner coolly fired Arsenal in front. December 29, 2010, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2-2 Arsenal”, in BBC
11. (intransitive, physiology) To cause an action potential in a cell.
    When a neuron fires, it transmits information.
12. (transitive) To forcibly direct (something).
    He answered the questions the reporters fired at him.
13. (transitive, intransitive, computer sciences, software engineering) To initiate an event (by means of an event handler).
    The event handler should only fire after all web page content has finished loading.
    The queue fires a job whenever the thread pool is ready to handle it.
14. (transitive) To inflame; to irritate, as the passions.
    to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge
15. (intransitive, dated) To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
    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
16. To animate; to give life or spirit to.
    to fire the genius of a young man
17. To feed or serve the fire of.
    to fire a boiler
    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.
19. (transitive, farriery) To cauterize.
20. (intransitive, dated) To catch fire; to be kindled.

intj

1. command to shoot with firearms