STOKE

[verb] [T] - to add fuel to (a large enclosed fire) and move the fuel around with a stick so that it burns well and produces a lot of heatThe furnaces in old steamships needed continual stoking.She was responsible for the daily household chores, such as stoking the fire and making the beds.(figurative) He has been publicly accused of stoking the fires of nationalism (= encouraging it to develop).When the fire had been stoked up, the house began to get warm.If someone stokes (up) an emotion or idea, they encourage it to develop.It seems some unscrupulous politicians have been stoking up racial hatred.Rumours of an emergency meeting of the finance ministers stoked the atmosphere of crisis.(informal) If you stoke up on/up with food, you eat a lot to avoid feeling hungry or weak later.As it was a cold morning, she stoked up on bacon, eggs and beans on toast.