Adjacent Words

Flame definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FLAME, n. [L. flamma.]
1. A blaze; burning vapor; vapor in combustion; or according to modern chimistry, hydrogen or any inflammable gas, in a state of combustion, and naturally ascending in a stream from burning bodies being specifically lighter than common air.
2. Fire in general.
3. Heat of passion; tumult; combustion; blaze; violent contention. One jealous, tattling mischief-maker will set a whole village in a flame.
4. Ardor of temper or imagination; brightness of fancy; vigor of thought.
Great are their faults, and glorious is their flame.
5. Ardor of inclination; warmth of affection.
Smit with the love of kindred arts we came,
And met congenial, mingling flame with flame.
6. The passion of love; ardent love.
My heart's on flame.
7. Rage; violence; as the flames of war.
FLAME, v.t. To inflame; to excite.
FLAME, v.i.
1. To blaze; to burn in vapor, or in a current; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion.
2. To shine like burning gas.
In flaming yellow bright.
3. To break out in violence of passion.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke; "fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries" [syn: fire, flame, flaming] v
1: shine with a sudden light; "The night sky flared with the massive bombardment" [syn: flare, flame]
2: be in flames or aflame; "The sky seemed to flame in the Hawaiian sunset"
3: criticize harshly, usually via an electronic medium; "the person who posted an inflammatory message got flamed"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English flaume, flaumbe, from Anglo-French flame (from Latin flamma) & flambe, flamble, from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma flame; akin to Latin flagrare to burn — more at black Date: 14th century 1. the glowing gaseous part of a fire 2. a. a state of blazing combustion <the car burst into flame> b. a condition or appearance suggesting a flame or burning: as (1) burning zeal or passion (2) a strong reddish-orange color 3. brilliance, brightness 4. sweetheart 5. the memory, reputation, or beliefs of a deceased person; broadly memory <keeper of the flame> 6. an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message II. verb (flamed; flaming) Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to burn with a flame ; blaze 2. a. to burst or break out violently or passionately <flaming with indignation> b. to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message 3. to shine brightly ; glow <color flaming up in her cheeks> transitive verb 1. to send or convey by means of flame <flame a message by signal fires> 2. to treat or affect with flame: as a. to sear, sterilize, or destroy by fire b. flambe 3. to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message to or about • flamer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a ignited gas (the fire burnt with a steady flame). b one portion of this (the flame flickered and died). c (usu. in pl.) visible combustion (burst into flames). 2 a a bright light; brilliant colouring. b a brilliant orange-red colour. 3 a strong passion, esp. love (fan the flame). b colloq. a boyfriend or girlfriend. --v. 1 intr. & tr. (often foll. by away, forth, out, up) emit or cause to emit flames. 2 intr. (often foll. by out, up) a (of passion) break out. b (of a person) become angry. 3 intr. shine or glow like flame (leaves flamed in the autumn sun). 4 intr. poet. move like flame. 5 tr. send (a signal) by means of flame. 6 tr. subject to the action of flame. Phrases and idioms: flame gun a device for throwing flames to destroy weeds etc. flame out (of a jet engine) lose power through the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber. flame-proof (esp. of a fabric) treated so as to be non-flammable. flame-thrower (or -projector) a weapon for throwing a spray of flame. flame-tree any of various trees with brilliant red flowers esp. flame-of-the-forest, Delonix regia. go up in flames be consumed by fire. Derivatives: flameless adj. flamelike adj. flamy adj. Etymology: ME f. OF flame, flam(m)er f. L flamma

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Flame Flame (fl[=a]m), n. [OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. flame, flambe, F. flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr. flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo.] 1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire. 2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. ``In a flame of zeal severe.'' --Milton. Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow. --Pope. Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame. --Pope. 3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. --Coleridge. 4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. --Thackeray. Syn: Blaze; brightness; ardor. See Blaze. Flame bridge, a bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5. Flame color, brilliant orange or yellow. --B. Jonson. Flame engine, an early name for the gas engine. Flame manometer, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer. Flame reaction (Chem.), a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum. Flame tree (Bot.), a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Flame Flame, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaming.] [OE. flamen, flaumben, F. flamber, OF. also, flamer. See Flame, n.] 1. To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. --Shak. 2. To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardor. He flamed with indignation. --Macaulay.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Flame Flame, v. t. To kindle; to inflame; to excite. And flamed with zeal of vengeance inwardly. --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(flames, flaming, flamed) 1. A flame is a hot bright stream of burning gas that comes from something that is burning. The heat from the flames was so intense that roads melted. ...a huge ball of flame. N-VAR 2. A flame is an e-mail message which severely criticizes or attacks someone. (COMPUTING INFORMAL) The best way to respond to a flame is to ignore it. N-COUNT • Flame is also a verb. Ever been flamed? VERB: V n 3. see also flaming, old flame 4. If something bursts into flames or bursts into flame, it suddenly starts burning strongly. She managed to scramble out of the vehicle as it burst into flames. PHRASE: V inflects 5. If someone or something fans the flames of a situation or feeling, usually a bad one, they make it more intense or extreme in some way. He accused the Tories of 'fanning the flames of extremism'. PHRASE: V inflects 6. If something goes up in flames, it starts to burn strongly and is destroyed. Fires broke out everywhere, the entire city went up in flames. PHRASE: V inflects 7. Something that is in flames is on fire. PHRASE: v-link PHR

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

flam (lahabh, and other forms from same root; phlox):

In Jud 13:20 bis; Job 41:21; Isa 29:6; Joe 2:5, the word is lahabh. Various other words are translated "flame"; mas'eth, "a lifting or rising up" (Jud 20:38,40 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) "cloud" (of smoke); kalil, "completeness" (Jud 20:40 b King James Version margin, "a holocaust, or offering wholly consumed by fire"; compare Le 6:15); shalhebheth (Job 15:30; So 8:6; the American Standard Revised Version "a very flame of Yahweh," margin "or, a most vehement flame"; Eze 20:47, the Revised Version (British and American) "the flaming flame"); shabhibh (Job 18:5; the Revised Version, margin); shebhibh, Aramaic (Da 3:22; 7:9). In Ps 104:4 the American Standard Revised Version has "maketh .... flames of fire his ministers"; the Revised Version (British and American) "flame" for "snare" (Pr 29:8).

Figuratively: "Flame" is used to denote excitement (Pr 29:8 the Revised Version (British and American)), shame, astonishment, "faces of flame" (Isa 13:8); in Re 1:14, the glorified Christ is described as having eyes "as a flame of fire," signifying their searching purity (compare Re 2:18; 19:12). Flame is also a symbol of God's wrath (Ps 83:14; Isa 5:24; 10:17).

See also FIRE.

W. L. Walker

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Blaze, burning vapor. 2. Fire. 3. Ardor, fervor, fervency, warmth, enthusiasm. 4. (Colloq.) Love, sweetheart. II. v. n. 1. Blaze. 2. Glow, burn, warm, be fervid or fervent, thrill, be enthusiastic.

Moby Thesaurus

Amor, Casanova, Christian love, Don Juan, Eros, Lothario, Platonic love, Romeo, admiration, adoration, affection, agape, amoroso, ardency, ardor, attachment, baby, backfire, bake, balefire, be bright, be in heat, beacon, beacon fire, beam, beau, bedazzle, beloved, blare, blaze, blaze of light, blaze up, blind, blister, bloom, blush, bodily love, boil, bonfire, boyfriend, brand, broil, brotherly love, burn, burn in, burn off, burning ghat, burst into flame, caballero, campfire, candle, caritas, cast, catch, catch fire, catch on fire, cauterize, cavalier, cavaliere servente, char, charity, cheerful fire, choke, coal, color, color up, combust, combustion, conflagration, conjugal love, cook, corposant, coruscate, cozy fire, crack, crackling fire, crematory, crimson, cupel, darling, daze, dazzle, dear, death fire, desire, devotion, diffuse light, eagerness, electric light bulb, enthusiasm, esquire, facula, faithful love, fancy, fellow, fen fire, fervor, feverishness, fire, flame up, flare, flare up, flash, flashing point, flicker, flickering flame, flush, fondness, forest fire, found, fox fire, free love, free-lovism, fry, fulgurate, funeral pyre, gallant, gasp, gigolo, give light, glance, glare, gleam, gleam of light, glim, glint, glow, grow red, heart, heartthrob, hero worship, honey, idolatry, idolism, idolization, ignis fatuus, ignite, ignition, illuminant, illuminator, inamorata, inamorato, incandesce, incandescent body, ingle, intensity, kindle, lady-killer, ladylove, lambent flame, lamp, lantern, lasciviousness, libido, light, light bulb, light source, like, liking, love, love-maker, lovemaking, lover, luminant, luminary, luster, man, mantle, married love, marshfire, match, moon, necker, old man, open fire, oxidate, oxidize, pant, parch, passion, petter, philanderer, physical love, popular regard, popularity, prairie fire, pyre, pyrolyze, radiate, radiate heat, raging fire, redden, regard, roast, scald, scorch, sea of flames, sear, seducer, seethe, send out rays, sentiment, sex, sexual love, sheet of fire, sheik, shimmer with heat, shine, shine brightly, shoot, shoot out rays, signal beacon, simmer, singe, smolder, smother, smudge fire, solar flare, solar prominence, solder, source of light, spark, spiritual love, squire, stars, steady, steam, stew, stifle, suffocate, sugar daddy, sun, swain, sweat, sweetheart, sweetie, swelter, swinge, take, taper, tender feeling, tender passion, three-alarm fire, toast, torch, torrefy, truelove, turn red, turtledove, two-alarm fire, uxoriousness, vesicate, vulcanize, warmth, watch fire, wildfire, witch fire, worship, yearning, young man, zeal