fire

fire  /fa/   (fires, firing, fired)

Please look at category 13 to see if the ｅxpression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
 
1. N-UNCOUNT
Fire is the hot, bright flames produced by things that are burning.
    They saw a big flash and a huge ball of fire reaching hundreds of feet into the sky.
    Many students were trapped by smoke and fire on an upper floor.

2. N-VAR
Fire or a fire is an occurrence of uncontrolled burning which destroys buildings, forests, or other things.
    87 people died in a fire at the Happy Land Social Club.
    A forest fire is sweeping across portions of north Maine this evening.
    Much of historic Rennes was destroyed by fire in 1720.

3. N-COUNT
A fire is a burning pile of wood, coal, or other fuel that you make, for example to use for heat, light, or cooking.
    There was a fire in the grate.
    After the killing, he calmly lit a fire to destroy evidence.

4. N-COUNT : oft n N
A fire is a device that uses electricity or gas to give out heat and warm a room.[ mainly BRIT ]
    The gas fire was still alight.

 in AM, usually use heater

5. VERB
When a pot or clay object is fired, it is heated at a high temperature in a special oven, as part of the process of making it.
    After the pot is dipped in this mixture, it is fired.

6. VERB
When the engine of a motor vehicle fires, an electrical spark is produced which causes the fuel to burn and the engine to work.
    The engine fired and we moved off.

7. VERB
If you fire someone with enthusiasm, you make them feel very enthusiastic. If you fire someone's imagination, you make them feel interested and excited.
    the potential to fire the imagination of an entire generation.
    It was Allen who fired this rivalry with real passion.
    Both his grandfathers were fired with an enthusiasm for public speaking.

8. N-UNCOUNT
You can use fire to refer in an approving way to someone's energy and enthusiasm.
    I went to hear him speak and was very impressed. He seemed so full of fire.
    passion  

9. PHRASE : V inflects
If an object or substance catches fire, it starts burning.
    The aircraft caught fire soon after take-off.

10. PHRASE : v-link PHR
If something is on fire, it is burning and being damaged or destroyed by an uncontrolled fire.
    The captain radioed that the ship was on fire.
    burning  

11. PHRASE : V inflects
If you say that someone is playing with fire, you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems.
    Schulte warned government and industrial leaders that those who even venture to think about mass layoffs are playing with fire.

12. PHRASE : V inflects
If you set fire to something or if you set it on fire, you start it burning in order to damage or destroy it.
    They set fire to vehicles outside that building.
    Lightning set several buildings on fire.

13. to have irons on the fire  see  iron
like a house on fire  see  house
there's no smoke without fire  see  smoke

 

fire  /fa/   (fires, firing, fired)

Please look at category 13 to see if the ｅxpression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
 
1. VERB
If someone fires a gun or a bullet, or if they fire, a bullet is sent from a gun that they are using.
    Seven people were wounded when soldiers fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
    The gun was fired and Beaton was wounded a second time.
    Seventeen people were killed when security forces fired on demonstrators.
    They were firing. I screamed at them to stop.

firing N-UNCOUNT
    The firing continued even while the protestors were fleeing.

2. N-UNCOUNT
You can use fire to refer to the shots fired from a gun or guns.
    His car was raked with fire from automatic weapons.
    The two were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire during a police raid.
    gunfire  

3. VERB
If you fire an arrow, you send it from a bow.
    He fired an arrow into a clearing in the forest.
    shoot  

4. VERB
If you fire questions at someone, you ask them a lot of questions very quickly, one after another.
    They were bombarded by more than 100 representatives firing questions on pollution.

5. PHRASE : V inflects
If you draw fire for something that you have done, you cause people to criticize you or attack you because of it.
    The council recently drew fire for its intervention in the dispute.

6. PHRASE : V inflects
If someone holds their fire or holds fire, they stop shooting or they wait before they start shooting.
    Devereux ordered his men to hold their fire until the ships got closer.

7. PHRASE : V inflects
If you hold fire in a situation, you delay before taking action.
    Observers reckon the Bank of England will hold fire until nearer the Budget.
    hold back  

8. PHRASE
If you are in the line of fire, you are in a position where someone is aiming their gun at you. If you move into their line of fire, you move into a position between them and the thing they were aiming at.
    He cheerfully blows away any bad guy stupid enough to get in his line of fire.
    The man and his son had been pushed into the line of fire by their captors.

9. PHRASE : V inflects, oft PHR on n
If you open fire on someone, you start shooting at them.
    Then without warning, the troops opened fire on the crowd.

10. PHRASE : V inflects
If you return fire or you return someone's fire, you shoot back at someone who has shot at you.
    The soldiers returned fire after being attacked.

11. PHRASE : usu v PHR, v-link PHR
If you come under fire or are under fire, someone starts shooting at you.
    The Belgians fell back as the infantry came under fire.

12. PHRASE : usu v PHR, v-link PHR
If you come under fire from someone or are under fire, they criticize you strongly.
    The president's plan first came under fire from critics who said he hadn't included enough spending cuts.

13. to fire from the hip  see  hip

 
fire away

PHRASAL VERB : only imper
If someone wants to say or ask something, you can say `fire away' as a way of showing that you are ready for them to speak.[ INFORMAL ]
    `May I ask you something?'`Sure. Fire away.'
 
fire off

1. PHRASAL VERB
If you fire off a shot, you send a bullet or other missile from a gun.
    A gunman fired off a volley of shots into the air.
    an illustration of a guy firing a huge cannon off into the distance.

2. PHRASAL VERB
If you fire off a letter, question, or remark, you send or say it very quickly, often as part of a series.
    He immediately fired off an angry letter to his ministry colleagues.

 

 

fire  /fa/   (fires, firing, fired)
 
VERB
If an employer fires you, they dismiss you from your job.
    If he hadn't been so good at the rest of his job, I probably would have fired him.
    She was sent a box of chocolates along with a letter saying she was fired.
    sack  

firing N-COUNT
    There was yet another round of firings.