The Collaborative International Dictionary
Fire \Fire\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fired; p. pr. & vb. n. Fring.]
To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile.
To subject to intense heat; to bake; to burn in a kiln; as, to fire pottery.
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To inflame; to irritate, as the passions; as, to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge.
Love had fired my mind.
--Dryden. To animate; to give life or spirit to; as, to fire the genius of a young man.
To feed or serve the fire of; as, to fire a boiler.
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To light up as if by fire; to illuminate.
[The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines.
--Shak. To cause to explode; as, to fire a torpedo; to disharge; as, to fire a rifle, pistol, or cannon; to fire cannon balls, rockets, etc.
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To drive by fire. [Obs.]
Till my bad angel fire my good one out.
--Shak. (Far.) To cauterize.
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to dismiss from employment, a post, or other job; to cause (a person) to cease being an employee; -- of a person. The act of firing is usually performed by that person's supervisor or employer. ``You can't fire me! I quit!'' To fire up,
to light up the fires of, as of an engine; also, figuratively, to start up any machine.
to render enthusiastic; -- of people.
Fire \Fire\, v. i.
To take fire; to be kindled; to kindle.
To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
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To discharge artillery or firearms; as, they fired on the town.
To fire up, to grow irritated or angry. ``He . . . fired up, and stood vigorously on his defense.''
--Macaulay.
Usage examples of "to fire up".
Stannis had posted bowmen below, to fire up at the defenders whenever one was rash enough to lift his head above the ramparts, but otherwise had not troubled.
He is forced away for his own safety and because there can be no peacemaking as long as he is there to fire up popular resentment with his own strident tongue.