Definition: the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy
Usage: hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes; they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire
Main entry: fire
Definition: a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning
Usage: they sat by the fire and talked
Main entry: fire, flack, flak, attack, blast
Definition: intense adverse criticism
Usage: Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party; the government has come under attack; don't give me any flak
Main entry: fire
Definition: the event of something burning (often destructive)
Usage: they lost everything in the fire
Main entry: fire
Definition: a severe trial
Usage: he went through fire and damnation
Main entry: ardor, ardour, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fervour, fire
Definition: feelings of great warmth and intensity
Usage: he spoke with great ardor
Main entry: fire, flame, flaming
Definition: the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
Usage: fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries
Main entry: fire
Definition: fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking
Usage: put the kettle on the fire; barbecue over an open fire
Main entry: fire
Definition: once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
Main entry: fire
Definition: bake in a kiln so as to harden
Usage: fire pottery
Main entry: fire, burn, burn down
Definition: destroy by fire
Usage: They burned the house and his diaries
Definition: cause to go off
Usage: fire a gun; fire a bullet
Main entry: fire, discharge, go off
Definition: go off or discharge
Usage: The gun fired
Definition: start firing a weapon
Main entry: kindle, elicit, enkindle, evoke, fire, arouse, raise, provoke
Definition: call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
Usage: arouse pity; raise a smile; evoke sympathy
Main entry: fire
Definition: drive out or away by or as if by fire
Usage: The soldiers were fired; Surrender fires the cold skepticism
Definition: provide with fuel
Usage: Oil fires the furnace
Main entry: can, dismiss, displace, send away, sack, terminate, fire, force out, give notice, give the axe, give the sack
Definition: terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
Usage: The boss fired his secretary today; The company terminated 25% of its workers