Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - flare

 I. noun  Etymology: origin unknown  Date: 1580  1.  a. a fire or blaze of light used especially to signal, illuminate, or attract attention; also a device or composition used to produce such a ~  2. an unsteady glaring light  b. solar ~; also a sudden increase and decrease in the brightness of a star often amounting to a difference of several magnitudes  3.  a. a sudden outburst (as of excitement or anger)  b. ~-up 3  4.  a. a spreading outward; also a place or part that spreads  b. an area of skin flush  5. light resulting from reflection (as between lens surfaces) or an effect of this light (as a fogged or dense area in a photographic negative)  6.  a. a short pass in football thrown to a back who is running toward the sideline  b. a weakly hit fly ball in baseball a ~ into short right field  7. plural pants that ~ toward the bottom  II. verb  (~d; flaring)  Date: 1616  intransitive verb  1.  a. to burn with an unsteady flame  b. to stream in the wind  2.  a. to shine with a sudden light a match ~s in the darkness  b.  (1) to become suddenly excited or angry — usually used with up  (2) to break out or intensify usually suddenly or violently — often used with up fighting ~d up after a 2-week lull  c. to express strong emotion (as anger) flaring out at such abuses  3. to open or spread outward the pants ~ at the bottom  transitive verb  1. to display conspicuously flaring her scarf to attract attention  2. to cause to ~ the breeze ~s the candle  3. to signal with a ~ or by flaring  4. to burn (a jet of waste gas) in the open air