fire
Bright flames and heat that come from burning things.
The phenomenon of combustion producing light, heat, and flames.
To tell someone they must leave their job.
To officially end someone's employment, usually because of poor performance or misconduct.
To make a gun or weapon shoot.
To discharge a gun or other weapon so that it releases bullets, shells, or other projectiles.
A strong feeling of excitement or passion.
Intense enthusiasm, energy, or emotion.
To heat clay objects in a special oven to make them hard.
To bake pottery, bricks, or similar materials at high temperature in a kiln to harden them.
- Base: fire
- Plural: fire, fires
- Base: fire
- 3rd Person Singular: fires
- Present Participle: firing
- Past: fired
on fire
1Burning or doing extremely well (figurative)
Burning with flames, or doing something very well (in informal speech).
- The building is on fire! Call 911!
- She’s been on fire this season, scoring in every game.
open fire
1Begin shooting weapons at a target
To start shooting guns or other weapons at someone or something.
- The soldiers were ordered to open fire on the enemy.
- Police opened fire after being attacked.
set fire to
1Cause something to start burning with flames and heat
To make something start burning.
- Someone set fire to the abandoned house.
- He accidentally set fire to his notes while cooking.
catch fire
1Start burning suddenly
To begin to burn quickly without planning it.
- The curtains caught fire from the candle.
- His shirt caught fire when he got too close to the stove.
- Dry grass can catch fire easily in summer.
play with fire
1take dangerous risks
To do something risky that could cause serious problems later.
- If you cheat on the test, you're playing with fire.
- If you lie to the police, you're playing with fire.
- Investing all your money in one stock is like playing with fire.
- He's playing with fire by lying to his boss.
- He's playing with fire by investing all his money in one company.
- He’s playing with fire by lying to his boss.