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flame

Pronunciation: /fleɪm/
Translate flame | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of flame

noun

  • 1a hot glowing body of ignited gas that is generated by something on fire:the car was engulfed in flames [mass noun]:a sheet of flame blocked my escape
  • a thing compared to a flame’s ability to burn fiercely or be extinguished:the flame of hope flickered and died there’s nothing like a holiday to rekindle the flames of passion
  • [mass noun] a brilliant orange-red colour like that of flames: [in combination]:a flame-red Alfa Romeo
  • 2 Computing, informal a vitriolic or abusive message posted on an Internet message board or newsgroup, typically in quick response to another message.

verb

  • 1 [no object] burn and give off flames:a great fire flamed in an open fireplace figurativehope flamed in her
  • [with object] set (something) alight:warm the whisky slightly, pour over the lobster, and flame it
  • shine or glow like a flame:her thick hair flamed against the light
  • (of a person’s face) suddenly become red with intense emotion, especially anger or embarrassment:Jess’s cheeks flamed
  • 2 [with object] Computing, informal direct an abusive or vitriolic posting at (someone) on an Internet message board or newsgroup.

Phrases

burst into flame (or flames)

suddenly begin to burn fiercely:the car crashed into a tree and burst into flames

go up in flames

be destroyed by fire:last night two factories went up in flames

old flame

informal a former lover.

Phrasal Verbs

flame out

(of a jet engine) lose power through the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber.
informal, chiefly North American fail badly or conspicuously:he and the rest of the team flamed out in the last three minutes

Derivatives

flameless

adjective

flame-like

adjective

flamer

noun ( Computing)

flamy

(also flamey) adjective (flamier, flamiest)

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French flame (noun), flamer (verb), from Latin flamma 'a flame'

flame in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of flame in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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