Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - fire

 abbreviation finance, insurance, and real estate FIRE  I. noun  Usage: often attributive  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fy?r; akin to Old High German fiur ~, Greek pyr  Date: before 12th century  1.  a.  (1) the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame, and heat  (2) one of the four elements of the alchemists  b.  (1) burning passion ; ardor  (2) liveliness of imagination ; inspiration  2.  a. fuel in a state of combustion (as on a hearth)  b. British a small gas or electric space heater  3.  a. a destructive burning (as of a building)  b.  (1) death or torture by ~  (2) severe trial or ordeal  4. brilliancy, luminosity the ~ of a gem  5.  a. the firing of weapons (as ~arms, artillery, or missiles)  b. intense verbal attack or criticism  c. a rapidly delivered series (as of remarks)  • ~less adjective  II. verb  (~d; firing)  Date: 13th century  transitive verb  1.  a. to set on ~ ; kindle; also ignite ~ a rocket engine  b.  (1) to give life or spirit to ; inspire the description ~d his imagination  (2) to fill with passion or enthusiasm — often used with up  c. to light up as if by ~  d. to cause to start operating — usually used with up ~d up the engine  2.  a. to drive out or away by or as if by ~  b. to dismiss from a position  3.  a.  (1) to cause to explode ; detonate  (2) to propel from or as if from a gun ; discharge, launch ~ a rocket  (3) shoot 1b ~ a gun  (4) to score (a number) in a game or contest  b. to throw with speed or force ~d the ball to first base ~ a left jab  c. to utter with force and rapidity  4. to apply ~ or fuel to: as  a. to process by applying heat ~ pottery  b. to feed or serve the ~ of ~ a boiler  intransitive verb  1.  a. to take ~ ; kindle, ignite  b. to begin operation ; start the engine ~d  c. to operate especially as the result of the application of an electrical impulse the spark plug ~s  2.  a. to become irritated or angry — often used with up  b. to become filled with excitement or enthusiasm  3.  a. to discharge a ~arm ~ at close range  b. to emit or let fly an object  4. to tend a ~  5. to transmit a nerve impulse the rate at which a neuron ~s  • ~able adjective  • ~r noun