flame

plural flames

1. countableuncountableThe visible part of fire; a stream of burning vapour or gas, emitting light and heat.

   The flames will then be joined together next week at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, the home of the Paralympics, and the united flame will make its final journey to London for the opening of the 14th Paralympic Games next Wednesday.

   2012 August 21, Alexandra Topping, “Paralympic flames light up countdown to biggest Games in history”, in The Guardian

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   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[…].

   1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC

   Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.

   2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4

2. countableuncountableA romantic partner or lover in a usually short-lived but passionate affair.

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

   1844 January–December, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “Conclusion”, in “The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq. [The Luck of Barry Lyndon.]”, in Miscellanies: Prose and Verse, volume III, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1856, →OCLC

   Synonyms: admirer, adorer, baby, beloved, courter, crush, darling, enamorado

3. InternetcountabledateduncountableAn aggressively insulting criticism or remark.

   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.

   1995, Paul McFedries, The Complete Idiot's Guide to USENET Newsgroups, Alpha Books, →ISBN, page 39

4. countableuncountableA brilliant reddish orange-gold fiery colour.

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

   1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, published 1993, page 73

5. A brilliant reddish orange-gold fiery colour. flame:
   1. countableuncountableflame
6. countableuncountableartsThe contrasting light and dark figure seen in wood used for stringed instrument making; the curl.

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

7. countableuncountableBurning zeal, passion, imagination, excitement, or anger.

   in a flame of zeal severe

   1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow

   1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC

   Till charming Florio, born to conquer, came And touch'd the fair one with an equal flame

   1834, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Julia

8. countableobsoleteuncountablebiologyA variety of carnation.

   Sic flow’rs o’ sorts ane seldom sees, / Flecks, flames, bussards an’ picketees, / Wi’ strong carnations, like young trees, / To face the entry; […]

   1812, Peter Forbes, “On going to see a nobleman’s gardener in the neighbourhood”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Edinburgh: R. Menzies, page 89

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   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.

   1718, Richard Bradley, “Part II. Chapter II: Of Perannual Flowers, the talleſt Blowers. Sect IX. Of the Carnation or July-Flower […] ”, in New Improvements of Planting and Gardening, Both Philoſophical and Practical […] , 2nd edition, London: W. Mears, page 82

1. not comparableOf a brilliant reddish orange-gold colour, like that of a flame.

present singular third person flames · participle present flaming · participle past flamed · past flamed

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.

   c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]

2. To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardour.

   He flamed with indignation.

   1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter II, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

3. InternetambitransitiveTo post a destructively critical or abusive message (to somebody).

   I flamed him for spamming in my favourite newsgroup.

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   I wish you had the nerve to put your own name on that article, rather than logging into a public account to do it. I would have prefered^([sic]) to respond to you personally, rather than burden the net with my flaming, particularly since opinions like yours are best left ignored. But I feel I must respond to this one.

   1983 October 20, Joe Ziegler, net.motss (Usenet)

   This was one of the highest points of the show for me. Playin' followed, with a nice jam afterwards. After that, Jerry wandered into Crazy Fingers. (I had been hoping for Terrapin...oh well. Crazy Fingers seems to highlight Jerry's ability to come in late and tentative on lyrics. I'm sure I'll get flamed, since lots of folks seem to worship CF.)

   1989 June 29, Neil McAvoy [Wing Attack Plan R], rec.music.gdead (Usenet)

   If he got flamed for his lies or his ignorance, he simply moved to another chat room.

   2001, Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections

   Because online communication makes it easy to flame, many of us impetuously fire off messages that we later regret.

   2019, Steven McCornack, Kelly Morrison, Reflect & Relate, 5th edition

   Synonyms: abuse, vitriol, vituperate, abuse, call names, name-call, revile, vitriol