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noun Fire n. 1.The evolution of light and heat in the combustion of bodies; combustion; state of ignition. Note: The form of fire exhibited in the combustion of gases in an ascending stream or current is called flame. Anciently, fire, air, earth, and water were regarded as the four elements of which all things are composed. 2.Fuel in a state of combustion, as on a hearth, or in a stove or a furnace. 3.The burning of a house or town; a conflagration. 4.Anything which destroys or affects like fire. 5.Ardor of passion, whether love or hate; excessive warmth; consuming violence of temper. "he had fire in his temper." 6.Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm; capacity for ardor and zeal. "And bless their critic with a poet's fire." 7.Splendor; brilliancy; luster; hence, a star. "Stars, hide your fires." "As in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires." 8.Torture by burning; severe trial or affliction. 9.The discharge of firearms; firing; as, the troops were exposed to a heavy fire. Blue fire, Red fire, Green fire (Pyrotech.), compositions of various combustible substances, as sulphur, niter, lampblack, etc., the flames of which are colored by various metallic salts, as those of antimony, strontium, barium, etc. Fire alarm (a)A signal given on the breaking out of a fire. (b)An apparatus for giving such an alarm. Fire annihilator, a machine, device, or preparation to be kept at hand for extinguishing fire by smothering it with some incombustible vapor or gas, as carbonic acid. Fire balloon. (a)A balloon raised in the air by the buoyancy of air heated by a fire placed in the lower part. (b)A balloon sent up at night with fireworks which ignite at a regulated height. Fire bar, a grate bar. Fire basket, a portable grate; a cresset. Fire beetle. (Zool.) See in the Vocabulary. Fire blast, a disease of plants which causes them to appear as if burnt by fire. Fire box, the chamber of a furnace, steam boiler, etc., for the fire. Fire brick, a refractory brick, capable of sustaining intense heat without fusion, usually made of fire clay or of siliceous material, with some cementing substance, and used for lining fire boxes, etc. Fire brigade, an organized body of men for extinguished fires. Fire bucket. See under Bucket. Fire bug, an incendiary; one who, from malice or through mania, persistently sets fire to property; a pyromaniac. (U.S.) Fire clay. See under Clay. Fire company, a company of men managing an engine in extinguishing fires. Fire cross. See Fiery cross. (Obs.) Fire damp. See under Damp. Fire dog. See Firedog, in the Vocabulary. Fire drill. (a)A series of evolutions performed by fireman for practice. (b)An apparatus for producing fire by friction, by rapidly twirling a wooden pin in a wooden socket; used by the Hindoos during all historic time, and by many savage peoples. Fire eater. (a)A juggler who pretends to eat fire. (b)A quarrelsome person who seeks affrays; a hotspur. (Colloq.) Fire engine, a portable forcing pump, usually on wheels, for throwing water to extinguish fire. Fire escape, a contrivance for facilitating escape from burning buildings. Fire gilding (Fine Arts), a mode of gilding with an amalgam of gold and quicksilver, the latter metal being driven off afterward by heat. Fire gilt (Fine Arts), gold laid on by the process of fire gilding. Fire insurance, the act or system of insuring against fire; also, a contract by which an insurance company undertakes, in consideration of the payment of a premium or small percentage usually made periodically to indemnify an owner of property from loss by fire during a specified period. Fire irons, utensils for a fireplace or grate, as tongs, poker, and shovel. Fire main, a pipe for water, to be used in putting out fire. Fire master (Mil), an artillery officer who formerly supervised the composition of fireworks. Fire office, an office at which to effect insurance against fire. Fire opal, a variety of opal giving firelike reflections. Fire ordeal, an ancient mode of trial, in which the test was the ability of the accused to handle or tread upon red-hot irons. Fire pan, a pan for holding or conveying fire, especially the receptacle for the priming of a gun. Fire plug, a plug or hydrant for drawing water from the main pipes in a street, building, etc., for extinguishing fires. Fire policy, the writing or instrument expressing the contract of insurance against loss by fire. Fire pot. (a)(Mil.) A small earthen pot filled with combustibles, formerly used as a missile in war. (b)The cast iron vessel which holds the fuel or fire in a furnace. Fire raft, a raft laden with combustibles, used for setting fire to an enemy's ships. Fire roll, a peculiar beat of the drum to summon men to their quarters in case of fire. Fire setting (Mining), the process of softening or cracking the working face of a lode, to facilitate excavation, by exposing it to the action of fire; now generally superseded by the use of explosives. Fire ship, a vessel filled with combustibles, for setting fire to an enemy's ships. Fire shovel, a shovel for taking up coals of fire. Fire stink, the stench from decomposing iron pyrites, caused by the formation of hydrogen sulfide. Fire surface, the surfaces of a steam boiler which are exposed to the direct heat of the fuel and the products of combustion; heating surface. Fire swab, a swab saturated with water, for cooling a gun in action and clearing away particles of powder, etc. Fire teaser, in England, the fireman of a steam emgine. Fire water, a strong alcoholic beverage; so called by the American Indians. Fire worship, the worship of fire, which prevails chiefly in Persia, among the followers of Zoroaster, called Chebers, or Guebers, and among the Parsees of India. Greek fire. See under Greek. On fire, burning; hence, ardent; passionate; eager; zealous. Running fire, the rapid discharge of firearms in succession by a line of troops. St. Anthony's fire, erysipelas; an eruptive fever which St. Anthony was supposed to cure miraculously. St. Elmo's fire. See under Saint Elmo. To set on fire, to inflame; to kindle. To take fire, to begin to burn; to fly into a passion.
verb Take v. t. (past took; past part. taken; pres. part. taking) 1.In an active sense; To lay hold of; to seize with the hands, or otherwise; to grasp; to get into one's hold or possession; to procure; to seize and carry away; to convey. Hence, specifically: (a)To obtain possession of by force or artifice; to get the custody or control of; to reduce into subjection to one's power or will; to capture; to seize; to make prisoner; as, to take an army, a city, or a ship; also, to come upon or befall; to fasten on; to attack; to seize; said of a disease, misfortune, or the like. "This man was taken of the Jews." "Men in their loose, unguarded hours they take; Not that themselves are wise, but others weak." "They that come abroad after these showers are commonly taken with sickness." "There he blasts the tree and takes the cattle And makes milch kine yield blood." (b)To gain or secure the interest or affection of; to captivate; to engage; to interest; to charm. "Neither let her take thee with her eyelids." "Cleombroutus was so taken with this prospect, that he had no patience." "I know not why, but there was a something in those half-seen features, a charm in the very shadow that hung over their imagined beauty, which took me more than all the outshining loveliness of her companions." (c)To make selection of; to choose; also, to turn to; to have recourse to; as, to take the road to the right. "Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken." "The violence of storming is the course which God is forced to take for the destroying... of sinners." (d)To employ; to use; to occupy; hence, to demand; to require; as, it takes so much cloth to make a coat; it takes five hours to get to Boston from New York by car. "This man always takes time... before he passes his judgments." (e)To form a likeness of; to copy; to delineate; to picture; as, to take a picture of a person. "Beauty alone could beauty take so right." (f)To draw; to deduce; to derive. (R.) "The firm belief of a future judgment is the most forcible motive to a good life, because taken from this consideration of the most lasting happiness and misery." (g)To assume; to adopt; to acquire, as shape; to permit to one's self; to indulge or engage in; to yield to; to have or feel; to enjoy or experience, as rest, revenge, delight, shame; to form and adopt, as a resolution; used in general senses, limited by a following complement, in many idiomatic phrases; as, to take a resolution; I take the liberty to say. (h)To lead; to conduct; as, to take a child to church. (i)To carry; to convey; to deliver to another; to hand over; as, he took the book to the bindery; he took a dictionary with him. "He took me certain gold, I wot it well." (j)To remove; to withdraw; to deduct; with from; as, to take the breath from one; to take two from four. 2.In a somewhat passive sense, to receive; to bear; to endure; to acknowledge; to accept. Specifically: (a)To accept, as something offered; to receive; not to refuse or reject; to admit. "Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer." "Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore." (b)To receive as something to be eaten or drunk; to partake of; to swallow; as, to take food or wine. (c)Not to refuse or balk at; to undertake readily; to clear; as, to take a hedge or fence. (d)To bear without ill humor or resentment; to submit to; to tolerate; to endure; as, to take a joke; he will take an affront from no man. (e)To admit, as, something presented to the mind; not to dispute; to allow; to accept; to receive in thought; to entertain in opinion; to understand; to interpret; to regard or look upon; to consider; to suppose; as, to take a thing for granted; this I take to be man's motive; to take men for spies. "You take me right." "Charity, taken in its largest extent, is nothing else but the science love of God and our neighbor." "(He) took that for virtue and affection which was nothing but vice in a disguise." "You'd doubt his sex, and take him for a girl." (f)To accept the word or offer of; to receive and accept; to bear; to submit to; to enter into agreement with; used in general senses; as, to take a form or shape. "I take thee at thy word." "Yet thy moist clay is pliant to command;... Not take the mold." 3.To make a picture, photograph, or the like, of; as, to take a group or a scene. (Colloq.) 4.To give or deliver (a blow to); to strike; hit; as, he took me in the face; he took me a blow on the head. (Obs. exc. Slang or Dial.) To be taken aback, To take advantage of, To take air, etc. See under Aback, Advantage, etc. To take aim, to direct the eye or weapon; to aim. To take along, to carry, lead, or convey. To take arms, to commence war or hostilities. To take away, to carry off; to remove; to cause deprivation of; to do away with; as, a bill for taking away the votes of bishops. "By your own law, I take your life away." To take breath, to stop, as from labor, in order to breathe or rest; to recruit or refresh one's self. To take care, to exercise care or vigilance; to be solicitous. "Doth God take care for oxen?" To take care of, to have the charge or care of; to care for; to superintend or oversee. To take down. (a)To reduce; to bring down, as from a high, or higher, place; as, to take down a book; hence, to bring lower; to depress; to abase or humble; as, to take down pride, or the proud. "I never attempted to be impudent yet, that I was not taken down." (b)To swallow; as, to take down a potion. (c)To pull down; to pull to pieces; as, to take down a house or a scaffold. (d)To record; to write down; as, to take down a man's words at the time he utters them. To take effect, To take fire. See under Effect, and Fire. To take ground to the right or To take ground to the left (Mil.), to extend the line to the right or left; to move, as troops, to the right or left. To take heart, to gain confidence or courage; to be encouraged. To take heed, to be careful or cautious. "Take heed what doom against yourself you give." To take heed to, to attend with care, as, take heed to thy ways. To take hold of, to seize; to fix on. To take horse, to mount and ride a horse. To take in. (b)To encompass or embrace; to comprise; to comprehend. (c)To draw into a smaller compass; to contract; to brail or furl; as, to take in sail. (d)To cheat; to circumvent; to gull; to deceive. (Colloq.) (e)To admit; to receive; as, a leaky vessel will take in water. (f)To win by conquest. (Obs.) "For now Troy's broad-wayed town He shall take in." (g)To receive into the mind or understanding. "Some bright genius can take in a long train of propositions." (h)To receive regularly, as a periodical work or newspaper; to take. (Eng.) To take in hand. See under Hand. To take in vain, to employ or utter as in an oath. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." To take issue. See under Issue. To take leave. See Leave, n., 2. To take a newspaper, magazine, or the like, to receive it regularly, as on paying the price of subscription. To take notice, to observe, or to observe with particular attention. To take notice of. See under Notice. To take oath, to swear with solemnity, or in a judicial manner. To take on, to assume; to take upon one's self; as, to take on a character or responsibility. To take one's own course, to act one's pleasure; to pursue the measures of one's own choice. To take order for. See under Order. To take order with, to check; to hinder; to repress. (Obs.) To take orders. (a)To receive directions or commands. (b)(Eccl.) To enter some grade of the ministry. See Order, n., 10. To take out. (a)To remove from within a place; to separate; to deduct. (b)To draw out; to remove; to clear or cleanse from; as, to take out a stain or spot from cloth. (c)To produce for one's self; as, to take out a patent. (d)To put an end to; as, to take the conceit out of a man. (e)To escort; as, to take out to dinner. To take over, to undertake; to take the management of. (Eng.) To take part, to share; as, they take part in our rejoicing. To take part with, to unite with; to join with. To take place, To take root, To take sides, To take stock, etc. See under Place, Root, Side, etc. To take the air. (a)(Falconry) To seek to escape by trying to rise higher than the falcon; said of a bird. To take the field. (Mil.) See under Field. To take thought, to be concerned or anxious; to be solicitous. To take to heart. See under Heart. To take to task, to reprove; to censure. To take up. (b)To buy or borrow; as, to take up goods to a large amount; to take up money at the bank. (c)To begin; as, to take up a lamentation. (d)To gather together; to bind up; to fasten or to replace; as, to take up raveled stitches; specifically (Surg.), to fasten with a ligature. (e)To engross; to employ; to occupy or fill; as, to take up the time; to take up a great deal of room. (f)To take permanently. "Arnobius asserts that men of the finest parts... took up their rest in the Christian religion." (g)To seize; to catch; to arrest; as, to take up a thief; to take up vagabonds. (h)To admit; to believe; to receive. (Obs.) "The ancients took up experiments upon credit." (i)To answer by reproof; to reprimand; to berate. "One of his relations took him up roundly." (j)To begin where another left off; to keep up in continuous succession; to take up (a topic, an activity). "Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale." (k)To assume; to adopt as one's own; to carry on or manage; as, to take up the quarrels of our neighbors; to take up current opinions. "They take up our old trade of conquering." (l)To comprise; to include. "The noble poem of Palemon and Arcite... takes up seven years." (m)To receive, accept, or adopt for the purpose of assisting; to espouse the cause of; to favor. (n)To collect; to exact, as a tax; to levy; as, to take up a contribution. "Take up commodities upon our bills." (o)To pay and receive; as, to take up a note at the bank. (p)(Mach.) To remove, as by an adjustment of parts; as, to take up lost motion, as in a bearing; also, to make tight, as by winding, or drawing; as, to take up slack thread in sewing. (q)To make up; to compose; to settle; as, to take up a quarrel. (Obs.) (s) To accept from someone, as a wager or a challenge; as, J. took M. up on his challenge. To take up arms. Same as To take arms, above. To take upon one's self. (a)To assume; to undertake; as, he takes upon himself to assert that the fact is capable of proof. (b)To appropriate to one's self; to allow to be imputed to, or inflicted upon, one's self; as, to take upon one's self a punishment. To take up the gauntlet. See under Gauntlet.
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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