fireball

Etymology

fire + ball

noun

1. A ball of fire, especially one associated with an explosion.
   At the time of this photo, Royal Marine Gunner Bryan Gasson is pretty much dead center in this photo, and yes, that means HE IS LITERALLY INSIDE THAT SOCKING GREAT FIREBALL as the magazines detonate. 14 March 2021, Drachinifel, 1:05:17 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 137, archived from the original on 2022-11-08
2. (astronomy) A meteor bright enough to cast shadows.
   In January 1999, a fireball exploded over Alaska. 2003, Trevor Palmer, Paul D. Taylor, Robert N. Brandon, Perilous Planet Earth: Catastrophes and Catastrophism Through the Ages
   Moments later a second satellite records a fireball exploding in the clouded sky. 2005, Surendra Verma, The Mystery of the Tunguska Fireball, page 234
3. (figurative) A feisty, strong-willed person.
   "And Lydia's a sassy little fireball. Today's her first day of first grade, and I'm just glad her teacher hasn't had to call." 23 February 2022, Jocelyn Samara D., Rain, Comic 1474 - Tie the Knot
4. (sailing) A class of sailing dinghy with a single trapeze and a symmetrical spinnaker, sailed by a crew of two.
5. (heraldry) A charge made of a disc-shaped bomb shell, with four sets of flames, at the top, bottom and on either side.
6. (military, historical) A ball filled with combustibles to be thrown among enemies.

verb

1. (intransitive) To explode in a ball of flame.
   The car swerved off a road, hit a wall, and fireballed as the petrol tank exploded.
2. (baseball) To pitch the ball very fast.
3. (transitive, fantasy) To attack with balls of fire.

adj

1. (slang) Excellent; terrific.
   "Give us a hand," said Mack. "How's she look?" "Fireball," said Eddie. 1954, John Steinbeck, Sweet Thursday, published 1960, page xxxix. 202