n. 1 flame(s), blaze; conflagration, holocaust, inferno We gathered round the roaring fire 2 feeling, passion, ardour, ardency, fervour, fervency, intensity, vigour, spirit, energy, vim, vivacity, sparkle, animation, liveliness, verve, pep, élan, éclat, dash, vitality, eagerness, enthusiasm, fever, feverishness I have never seen the role of Carmen performed with such fire 3 firing, fusillade, volley, barrage, bombardment, salvo, cannonade, shelling, broadside, flak The fire from the guns shook the house 4 hang fire. delay, be delayed, be in abeyance, be suspended, be shelved, be put off, be postponed, be up in the air, Colloq be put on hold, be (put) on the back burner The decision is hanging fire till tomorrow 5 on fire. afire, burning, blazing, alight, aflame, flaming; ardent, passionate, fervent, fervid, hot-blooded, intense, aroused, stirred, stimulated, enthusiastic, fired up, eager, inspired, excited The building is on fire you must leave at once My very soul is on fire when I think of you. 6 play with fire. undertake a risk or hazard or peril, run a risk, risk (something or everything), imperil or endanger (something), tempt fate, live dangerously He warned people not to play with fire by stirring up racial hatred 7 set fire to. See 8, below.
v. 8 a set fire to, set afire, set on fire, ignite, set alight, kindle, spark (off), put to the torch, burn, Slang US torch Arsonists fired our headquarters last night b Sometimes, fire up. inflame, impassion, incite, excite, provoke, foment, whip up, arouse, rouse, work up, fire up, enkindle, light a fire under, stimulate, inspirit, motivate, move, stir, animate, inspire, awaken, energize, vitalize, vivify She fired the crowd's emotions with her impassioned speech 9 discharge, shoot, let go (with), launch, propel, throw, catapult, hurl He fired the missile towards the enemy 10 detonate, set off, ignite, set fire to, light, let off It is against the law to fire any explosives in this area 11 discharge, dismiss, oust, let go, cashier, give (someone) notice, Brit make or declare redundant, Colloq Brit ask for or get (someone's) cards, US give (someone) a pink slip; Slang bounce, give (someone) the bounce, axe, give (someone) the axe, show (someone) the door, can, give (someone) the (old) heave-ho, give (someone) his or her (Brit) marching orders or (US) walking papers, Brit sack, give (someone) the sack, boot (someone) out, give (someone) the boot They fired me last month and I can't find work