Finn /f I n/ (Finns ) N‑COUNT The Finns are the people of Finland.
Finn|ish /f I n I ʃ/
1 ADJ Finnish means belonging or relating to Finland or to its people, language, or culture.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Finnish is the language spoken in Finland.
fir /fɜː r / (firs ) N‑VAR A fir or a fir tree is a tall evergreen tree that has thin needle-like leaves.
fire
➊ BURNING, HEAT, OR ENTHUSIASM
➋ SHOOTING OR ATTACKING
➌ DISMISSAL
➊ fire ◆◆◇ /fa I ə r / (fires , firing , fired )
→ Please look at categories 18 to 20 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 N‑UNCOUNT Fire is the hot, bright flames produced by things that are burning. □ They saw a big flash and a huge ball of fire reaching hundreds of feet into the sky. □ Many students were trapped by smoke and fire on an upper floor.
2 N‑VAR Fire or a fire is an occurrence of uncontrolled burning which destroys buildings, forests, or other things. □ 87 people died in the fire. □ A forest fire is sweeping across portions of north Maine this evening. □ Much of historic Rennes was destroyed by fire in 1720.
3 N‑COUNT A fire is a burning pile of wood, coal, or other fuel that you make, for example to use for heat, light, or cooking. □ There was a fire in the grate. □ After the killing, he calmly lit a fire to destroy evidence.
4 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A fire is a device that uses electricity or gas to give out heat and warm a room. [mainly BRIT ] □ The gas fire was still alight. in AM, usually use heater 5 VERB When a pot or clay object is fired , it is heated at a high temperature in a special oven, as part of the process of making it. □ [be V -ed] After the pot is dipped in this mixture, it is fired.
6 VERB When the engine of a motor vehicle fires , an electrical spark is produced which causes the fuel to burn and the engine to work. □ [V ] The engine fired and we moved off.
7 VERB If you fire someone with enthusiasm, you make them feel very enthusiastic. If you fire someone's imagination, you make them feel interested and excited. □ [V n] …the potential to fire the imagination of an entire generation. □ [V n + with ] It was Allen who fired this rivalry with real passion. □ [be V -ed + with ] Both his grandfathers were fired with an enthusiasm for public speaking.
8 N‑UNCOUNT You can use fire to refer in an approving way to someone's energy and enthusiasm. [APPROVAL ] □ I went to hear him speak and was very impressed. He seemed so full of fire.
9 PHRASE If an object or substance catches fire , it starts burning. □ The aircraft caught fire soon after take-off.
10 PHRASE If something is on fire , it is burning and being damaged or destroyed by an uncontrolled fire. □ The captain radioed that the ship was on fire.
11 PHRASE If you say that someone is playing with fire , you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems. □ Those who even venture to think about mass layoffs are playing with fire.
12 PHRASE If you set fire to something or if you set it on fire , you start it burning in order to damage or destroy it. □ They set fire to vehicles outside that building. □ Lightning set several buildings on fire.
13 to have irons on the fire → see iron
14 like a house on fire → see house
15 there's no smoke without fire → see smoke
▸ fire up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fire up a machine, you switch it on. □ [V P n] Put on a helmet, fire up your engine and head out on the open road. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you fire someone up , you make them feel very enthusiastic or motivated. □ [V P n] The president knows his task is to fire up the delegates. [Also V n P ]
➋ fire ◆◆◇ /fa I ə r / (fires , firing , fired )
→ Please look at category 16 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 VERB If someone fires a gun or a bullet, or if they fire , a bullet is sent from a gun that they are using. □ [V n] Seven people were wounded when soldiers fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds. □ [V n] The gun was fired and Beaton was wounded a second time. □ [V + on ] Seventeen people were killed when security forces fired on demonstrators. □ [V ] They were firing. I screamed at them to stop. ● fir|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ The firing continued even while the protestors were fleeing.
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can use fire to refer to the shots fired from a gun or guns. □ His car was raked with fire from automatic weapons. □ The two were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire during a police raid.
3 VERB If you fire an arrow, you send it from a bow. □ [V n] He fired an arrow into a clearing in the forest.
4 VERB If you fire questions at someone, you ask them a lot of questions very quickly, one after another. □ [V n] They were bombarded by more than 100 representatives firing questions on pollution.
5 PHRASE If you draw fire for something that you have done, you cause people to criticize you or attack you because of it. □ The council recently drew fire for its intervention in the dispute.