I. ˈfler noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1580
1.
a. : a fire or blaze of light used especially to signal, illuminate, or attract attention ; also : a device or composition used to produce such a flare
2. : an unsteady glaring light
b. : solar flare ; also : a sudden increase and decrease in the brightness of a star often amounting to a difference of several magnitudes
3.
a. : a sudden outburst (as of excitement or anger)
b. : flare-up 3
4.
a. : a spreading outward ; also : a place or part that spreads
b. : an area of skin flush
5. : light resulting from reflection (as between lens surfaces) or an effect of this light (as a fogged or dense area in a photographic negative)
6.
a. : a short pass in football thrown to a back who is running toward the sideline
b. : a weakly hit fly ball in baseball
a flare into short right field
7. plural : pants that flare toward the bottom
II. verb
( flared ; flar·ing )
Date: 1616
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to burn with an unsteady flame
b. : to stream in the wind
2.
a. : to shine with a sudden light
a match flare s in the darkness
b.
(1) : to become suddenly excited or angry — usually used with up
(2) : to break out or intensify usually suddenly or violently — often used with up
fighting flared up after a 2-week lull
c. : to express strong emotion (as anger)
flaring out at such abuses
3. : to open or spread outward
the pants flare at the bottom
transitive verb
1. : to display conspicuously
flaring her scarf to attract attention
2. : to cause to flare
the breeze flare s the candle
3. : to signal with a flare or by flaring
4. : to burn (a jet of waste gas) in the open air