fires
|fi/ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈfaɪ.ɚz/
🇬🇧
/ˈfaɪəz/
(fire)
burning
Etymology
'fire' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'fȳr' (also spelled 'fyr'), where Proto-Germanic '*fūrą' meant 'fire'.
'fire' changed from Old English 'fȳr' into Middle English 'fire' (with vowel and orthographic shifts) and eventually became the modern English word 'fire'.
Initially, it meant 'a burning, flame, or what produces heat/light'; over time it broadened to include senses such as 'discharge of a weapon', 'dismissal from a job', and metaphorical senses like 'passion' or 'intense feeling'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'fire': incidents of burning; conflagrations or outbreaks of flame.
Several fires broke out in the dry hills after the heatwave.
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Noun 2
bursts or rounds of gunfire; shots or discharges (plural usage).
The convoy came under several fires during the raid.
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Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'fire' meaning to dismiss someone from a job.
The manager fires workers who repeatedly miss safety checks.
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Verb 2
third-person singular present of 'fire' meaning to discharge a weapon or to shoot.
He fires the rifle accurately at targets downrange.
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Verb 3
third-person singular present of 'fire' meaning to ignite or set something on fire.
A dropped spark sometimes fires dry brush in summer.
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Verb 4
third-person singular present of 'fire' meaning to trigger or cause to operate (e.g., a mechanism, an event).
The remote command fires the alarm system when motion is detected.
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Verb 5
third-person singular present of 'fire' used figuratively: to excite or stimulate strong emotion or imagination.
Her story fires his imagination and leads him to write.
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Last updated: 2026/01/03 19:23