fire
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
fire
n 1: the event of something burning (often destructive); "they
lost everything in the fire"
2: the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy; "hold
your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they
retreated in the face of withering enemy fire" [syn: {fire},
{firing}]
3: 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}]
4: a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning;
"they sat by the fire and talked"
5: once thought to be one of four elements composing the
universe (Empedocles)
6: feelings of great warmth and intensity; "he spoke with great
ardor" [syn: {ardor}, {ardour}, {fervor}, {fervour},
{fervency}, {fire}, {fervidness}]
7: fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking; "put
the kettle on the fire"; "barbecue over an open fire"
8: a severe trial; "he went through fire and damnation"
9: intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the
Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack";
"don't give me any flak" [syn: {fire}, {attack}, {flak},
{flack}, {blast}]
v 1: start firing a weapon [syn: {open fire}, {fire}]
2: cause to go off; "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet" [syn: {fire},
{discharge}]
3: bake in a kiln so as to harden; "fire pottery"
4: terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or
position; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company
terminated 25% of its workers" [syn: {displace}, {fire},
{give notice}, {can}, {dismiss}, {give the axe}, {send away},
{sack}, {force out}, {give the sack}, {terminate}] [ant:
{employ}, {engage}, {hire}]
5: go off or discharge; "The gun fired" [syn: {fire},
{discharge}, {go off}]
6: drive out or away by or as if by fire; "The soldiers were
fired"; "Surrender fires the cold skepticism"
7: call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse
pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy" [syn: {arouse},
{elicit}, {enkindle}, {kindle}, {evoke}, {fire}, {raise},
{provoke}]
8: destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries"
[syn: {burn}, {fire}, {burn down}]
9: provide with fuel; "Oil fires the furnace" [syn: {fuel},
{fire}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Command \Com*mand"\, n.
1. An authoritative order requiring obedience; a mandate; an
injunction.
[1913 Webster]
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impose. --Milton.
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2. The possession or exercise of authority.
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Command and force may often create, but can never
cure, an aversion. --Locke.
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3. Authority; power or right of control; leadership; as, the
forces under his command.
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4. Power to dominate, command, or overlook by means of
position; scope of vision; survey.
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The steepy stand
Which overlooks the vale with wide command.
--Dryden.
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5. Control; power over something; sway; influence; as, to
have command over one's temper or voice; the fort has
command of the bridge.
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He assumed an absolute command over his readers.
--Dryden.
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6. A body of troops, or any naval or military force or post,
or the whole territory under the authority or control of a
particular officer.
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{Word of command} (Mil.), a word or phrase of definite and
established meaning, used in directing the movements of
soldiers; as, {aim}; {fire}; {shoulder arms}, etc.
Syn: Control; sway; power; authority; rule; dominion;
sovereignty; mandate; order; injunction; charge; behest.
See {Direction}.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fire \Fire\ (f[imac]r), n. [OE. fir, fyr, fur AS. f[=y]r; akin
to D. vuur, OS. & OHG. fiur, G. feuer, Icel. f[=y]ri,
f[=u]rr, Gr. py^r, and perh. to L. purus pure, E. pure Cf.
{Empyrean}, {Pyre}.]
1. The evolution of light and heat in the combustion of
bodies; combustion; state of ignition.
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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.
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2. Fuel in a state of combustion, as on a hearth, or in a
stove or a furnace.
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3. The burning of a house or town; a conflagration.
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4. Anything which destroys or affects like fire.
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5. Ardor of passion, whether love or hate; excessive warmth;
consuming violence of temper.
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he had fire in his temper. --Atterbury.
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6. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral
enthusiasm; capacity for ardor and zeal.
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And bless their critic with a poet's fire. --Pope.
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7. Splendor; brilliancy; luster; hence, a star.
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Stars, hide your fires. --Shak.
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As in a zodiac
representing the heavenly fires. --Milton.
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8. Torture by burning; severe trial or affliction.
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9. The discharge of firearms; firing; as, the troops were
exposed to a heavy fire.
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{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. --Simmonds.
{Fire bar}, a grate bar.
{Fire basket}, a portable grate; a cresset. --Knight.
{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.] --Milton.
{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. --Abbot.
{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.
(c) A crucible.
(d) A solderer's 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. --Raymond.
{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. --Raymond.
{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.
--Farrow.
{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. --Hoblyn.
{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.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fire \Fire\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fired}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Fring}.]
1. To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney;
to fire a pile.
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2. To subject to intense heat; to bake; to burn in a kiln;
as, to fire pottery.
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3. To inflame; to irritate, as the passions; as, to fire the
soul with anger, pride, or revenge.
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Love had fired my mind. --Dryden.
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4. To animate; to give life or spirit to; as, to fire the
genius of a young man.
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5. To feed or serve the fire of; as, to fire a boiler.
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6. To light up as if by fire; to illuminate.
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[The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines.
--Shak.
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7. 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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8. To drive by fire. [Obs.]
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Till my bad angel fire my good one out. --Shak.
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9. (Far.) To cauterize.
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10. 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!"
[PJC]
{To fire up},
1. to light up the fires of, as of an engine; also,
figuratively, to start up any machine.
2. to render enthusiastic; -- of people.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fire \Fire\, v. i.
1. To take fire; to be kindled; to kindle.
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2. To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
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3. To discharge artillery or firearms; as, they fired on the
town.
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{To fire up}, to grow irritated or angry. "He . . . fired up,
and stood vigorously on his defense." --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Fire
(1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire
(Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first
kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards
rekindled at the dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chr. 7:1, 3).
The expressions "fire from heaven" and "fire of the Lord"
generally denote lightning, but sometimes also the fire of the
altar was so called (Ex. 29:18; Lev. 1:9; 2:3; 3:5, 9).
Fire for a sacred purpose obtained otherwise than from the
altar was called "strange fire" (Lev. 10:1, 2; Num. 3:4).
The victims slain for sin offerings were afterwards consumed
by fire outside the camp (Lev. 4:12, 21; 6:30; 16:27; Heb.
13:11).
(2.) For domestic purposes, such as baking, cooking, warmth,
etc. (Jer. 36:22; Mark 14:54; John 18:18). But on Sabbath no
fire for any domestic purpose was to be kindled (Ex. 35:3; Num.
15:32-36).
(3.) Punishment of death by fire was inflicted on such as were
guilty of certain forms of unchastity and incest (Lev. 20:14;
21:9). The burning of captives in war was not unknown among the
Jews (2 Sam. 12:31; Jer. 29:22). The bodies of infamous persons
who were executed were also sometimes burned (Josh. 7:25; 2
Kings 23:16).
(4.) In war, fire was used in the destruction of cities, as
Jericho (Josh. 6:24), Ai (8:19), Hazor (11:11), Laish (Judg.
18:27), etc. The war-chariots of the Canaanites were burnt
(Josh. 11:6, 9, 13). The Israelites burned the images (2 Kings
10:26; R.V., "pillars") of the house of Baal. These objects of
worship seem to have been of the nature of obelisks, and were
sometimes evidently made of wood.
Torches were sometimes carried by the soldiers in battle
(Judg. 7:16).
(5.) Figuratively, fire is a symbol of Jehovah's presence and
the instrument of his power (Ex. 14:19; Num. 11:1, 3; Judg.
13:20; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10, 12; 2:11; Isa. 6:4; Ezek.
1:4; Rev. 1:14, etc.).
God's word is also likened unto fire (Jer. 23:29). It is
referred to as an emblem of severe trials or misfortunes (Zech.
12:6; Luke 12:49; 1 Cor. 3:13, 15; 1 Pet. 1:7), and of eternal
punishment (Matt. 5:22; Mark 9:44; Rev. 14:10; 21:8).
The influence of the Holy Ghost is likened unto fire (Matt.
3:11). His descent was denoted by the appearance of tongues as
of fire (Acts 2:3).
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
672 Moby Thesaurus words for "fire":
abandon, afflatus, afire, aflame, aggressiveness, agitate, aim at,
air, air-dry, alight, anhydrate, animate, animating spirit,
animation, animus, annoy, antiaircraft fire, ardency, ardent,
ardor, arouse, aroused, atom, atomic particles, awake, awaken, ax,
axe, backfire, bake, balefire, bang, bank, barbecue, barrage,
baste, beacon, beacon fire, begin, blanch, blast, blast away,
blast off, blaze, blaze up, blazing, blitz, blot, blow out,
blow the coals, blow up, boil, bombard, bombardment, bonfire, boot,
boot out, bounce, bowl, braise, break, brew, broadside, broil,
brown, brush, brute matter, building block, bump, burn, burning,
burning ghat, burning pain, burst, bust, calenture, call forth,
call up, campfire, can, candle, cannon, cannonade, cashier, cast,
cast at, catapult, chafe, charge, charring, cheerful fire,
chemical element, childbed fever, chuck, chuck at, chunk, cock,
coddle, combustion, commence, commence firing, commitment,
committedness, component, conflagrate, conflagration, constituent,
continued fever, cook, corposant, cozy fire, crackling fire,
crematory, cross fire, cure, curry, curtain fire, dart, dash,
death fire, dedication, defrock, degrade, dehumidify, dehydrate,
delay, delirium, demote, deplume, depose, deprive, desiccate,
detonate, devil, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, direct fire,
disbar, discharge, disemploy, dismiss, displace, displume, dive in,
divine afflatus, do, do to perfection, drain, drive, drop,
drum out, dry, dry fire, dynamize, eager, eagerness, earnestness,
earth, eclat, ecstasy, eject, elan, electric light bulb,
electric-heat, electrify, element, elementary particle,
elementary unit, embue, energize, energy, enfilade, enkindle,
enliven, enlivenment, enrage, enterprise, enthuse, enthusiasm,
enthusiastic, eruptive fever, evaporate, exalt, excite, excited,
excitement, exhilarate, exhilaration, expel, explode, exsiccate,
faith, faithfulness, fall to, fan, fan the fire, fan the flame,
febricity, febrility, feed, feed the fire, feeling, fell, fen fire,
ferment, fervency, fervent, fervid, fervidness, fervor, fever,
fever heat, fever of excitement, feverishness, fidelity, fieriness,
file fire, fire a volley, fire at, fire of demolition, fire off,
fire up, fire upon, firepower, fireworks, firing, flack, flak,
flame, flame up, flaming, flare, flare up, flashing point, flicker,
flickering flame, fling, fling at, flip, flush, foment,
forest fire, fork, fox fire, frenzy, fricassee, frizz, frizzle,
fry, fulminate, fundamental particle, funeral pyre, furlough,
furor, fury, fusillade, galvanize, gas-heat, genius, get to,
get-up-and-go, ginger, give the ax, give the gate, glare, glaze,
glim, glow, go ahead, go off, griddle, grill, ground fire, gun,
gun for, gunfight, gunfire, gunplay, gusto, hang fire, head into,
heart, hearten, heartiness, heat, heat up, heatedness, heave,
heave at, hectic, hectic fever, hectic flush, heighten,
high-angle fire, hit, holocaust, horizontal fire, hot, hot up,
hot-air-heat, hot-blooded, hot-water-heat, hurl, hurl against,
hurl at, hurrah, hurtle, hyle, hyperpyrexia, hyperthermia,
hypostasis, ignis fatuus, ignite, ignition, illuminant,
illuminator, imbue, impassion, impassionedness, incandescent body,
incense, incite, infect, infection, inferno, inflame, inform,
infuriate, infuse, infusion, ingle, initiative, inject, inoculate,
insolate, inspiration, inspire, inspired, inspirit, instigate,
intense, intensify, intensity, intentness, interdiction fire,
intermittent fever, invigorate, jazz up, jerk, jump off, key up,
kick, kick off, kick out, kick upstairs, kiln, kindle,
lambent flame, lamp, lance, lantern, lather up, launch, lay off,
let fly, let fly at, let go, let off, let out, light, light bulb,
light source, light the fuse, light up, liveliness, liven, load,
lob, loyalty, luminant, luminary, machine-gun fire, madden,
make redundant, marshfire, match, material, material world,
materiality, matter, mold, molecule, monad, moon, mortar,
mortar fire, motivate, move, moving spirit, mull, mummify,
musketry, natural world, nature, nettle, on fire, open fire,
open up on, oust, oven-bake, overexcite, overheat, pan, pan-broil,
parboil, parch, pass, passion, passionate, passionateness, peg,
pelt, pension off, pep, pep up, pepper, percussion fire, perk up,
physical world, pick off, pique, piss and vinegar, pistol,
pistol fire, pitch, pitch in, pitchfork, pizzazz, play with fire,
plenum, plug, plunge into, poach, poop, pop at, pot, potshoot,
potshot, prairie fire, preheat, prepare, prepare food, prime,
project, propel, protein fever, provoke, puerperal fever, punch,
push, put, put the shot, put up to, pyre, pyrexia, quicken,
raging fire, rake, raking fire, rally, rapid fire, read out of,
recook, reheat, rekindle, relapsing fever, release, relight,
relish, relume, remittent, remittent fever, replace, resolution,
retire, ricochet fire, riddle, rifle fire, roast, rouse, rub, rut,
sack, salvo, saute, savor, scallop, scorch, scorching,
sea of flames, sear, searing, send off, separate forcibly,
seriousness, serve, set about, set astir, set fire to, set in,
set off, set on, set on fire, set out, set sail, set to,
sexual excitement, shape, sheet of fire, shell, shellfire, shirr,
shoot, shoot at, shoot down, shoot-out, shooting, shrivel, shy,
shy at, sic on, signal beacon, simmer, sincerity, sling, sling at,
smart, smarting, smoke, smudge fire, snap, snap up, snipe,
snipe at, soak up, soul, source of light, spark, sparkle, spirit,
spirit up, sponge, spunk, spunk up, starch, stars, start, start in,
start off, start out, steam, steam up, stew, stimulate, stimulated,
sting, stinging, stir, stir the blood, stir the embers,
stir the feelings, stir the fire, stir up, stir-fry, stirred,
stoke, stoke the fire, stoke up, strafe, strike, strike a light,
strip, stuff, substance, substratum, summon up, sun, sun-dry,
superannuate, superheat, surplus, suspend, swab, take a potshot,
take aim at, take fire, take off, taper, tepefy, terminate,
the four elements, three-alarm fire, thrill, throw, throw at,
thrust, tickle, tilt, time fire, tingle, tingling, toast, torch,
torpedo, torrefy, toss, toss at, touch off, towel, trigger,
turn a pot, turn off, turn on, turn out, turn to, two-alarm fire,
unfrock, unit of being, urethral fever, urtication, vaccinal fever,
vehemence, vertical fire, verve, vigor, vim, vitality, vitalize,
vivacity, vivify, volley, wake, wake up, waken, warm, warm over,
warm the blood, warm up, warmth, warmth of feeling, watch fire,
water, water fever, weazen, whet, whip up, wildfire, wipe,
witch fire, wither, wizen, work into, work up, wound fever, zeal,
zero in on, zest, zing, zip, zip up, zone fire
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