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Flame

//fleɪm// adj, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of a brilliant reddish orange-gold colour, like that of a flame. not-comparable
Noun
  1. 1
    The visible part of fire; a stream of burning vapour or gas, emitting light and heat. countable, uncountable

    "Long after his cigar burnt bitter, he sat with eyes fixed on the blaze. When the flames at last began to flicker and subside, his lids fluttered, then drooped; but he had lost all reckoning of time when he opened them again to find Miss Erroll in furs and ball-gown kneeling on the hearth[…]."

  2. 2
    the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke wordnet
  3. 3
    A romantic partner or lover in a usually short-lived but passionate affair. countable, uncountable

    "I could copy out yards of rhapsody to Lord George Poynings, her old flame, in which she addressed him by the most affectionate names."

  4. 4
    An aggressively insulting criticism or remark. Internet, countable, dated, uncountable

    "Flames are, unfortunately, a fact of USENET life. It's a rare USENET regular who hasn't been shaken to the foundations with anger at something some jerk has posted."

  5. 5
    A brilliant reddish orange-gold fiery colour. countable, uncountable

    "[M]arked by myriad clouds of every sunset-colour - flame, purple, pink, green, violet, and all the tints of gold."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A brilliant reddish orange-gold fiery colour. flame:; flame countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    The contrasting light and dark figure seen in wood used for stringed instrument making; the curl. countable, uncountable

    "The cello has a two-piece back with a beautiful narrow flame."

  3. 8
    Burning zeal, passion, imagination, excitement, or anger. countable, uncountable

    "in a flame of zeal severe"

  4. 9
    A variety of carnation. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "The Gardeners divide it into Five Claſſes, which they diſtinguiſh by the Name of Picketees, Painted Ladies, Beazarts, Flakes, and Flames: […] the Flames have a red Ground always ſtrip’d with black or very dark Colours."

Verb
  1. 1
    To produce flames; to burn with a flame or blaze.

    "The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again."

  2. 2
    criticize harshly, usually via an electronic medium wordnet
  3. 3
    To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardour.

    "He flamed with indignation."

  4. 4
    be in flames or aflame wordnet
  5. 5
    To post a destructively critical or abusive message (to somebody). Internet, ambitransitive

    "I flamed him for spamming in my favourite newsgroup."

Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    shine with a sudden light wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English flawme, blend of Old French flame and flambe, flamble, the first from Latin flamma, the second from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma, both from pre-Latin *fladma; Proto-Italic *flagmā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shimmer, gleam, shine”). Displaced native Old English līeġ.

Etymology 2

From Middle English flawme, blend of Old French flame and flambe, flamble, the first from Latin flamma, the second from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma, both from pre-Latin *fladma; Proto-Italic *flagmā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shimmer, gleam, shine”). Displaced native Old English līeġ.

Etymology 3

From Middle English flawmen, from Old French flamber, flammer.

See also for "flame"

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