flame out

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

1. archaicTo become suddenly angry; to break out into indignation or similar emotion; to flare up.First known use 16th c.

   [O]n being brought home, and giving us ground to suppose he was much worse hurt than he really was, and a fever ensuing, every one flamed out; and all was laid at my door.

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], chapter 4, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume I, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

2. To fail due to extinction of flame.First known use 20th c.

   On 24 July 1998, the silo THC analyzer's FID flamed out and could not be relighted.

   2000, “Hot mix asphalt plants technical systems audit of testing at plant "C"”, in U.S, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-454R-00-026

   3 more examples

   If on flame out, steam pressure goes below 75# you must go back on gas to return [....] The grievant replied that If he did so, the boiler would flame out.

   1967, American Labor Arbitration Awards, volume 11, Prentice-Hall

   Restarting in flight is a very important engine capability for all aircraft, as occasionally engines do flame out.

   2004, Philip P. Walsh, Paul Fletcher, Gas Turbine Performance, page 487

   While the pitch angle was decreasing, a left rolling motion began, which eventually reached 82º left wing down, and the N₁ and fuel flow indications for both engines declined steadily to zero, indicating that both engines had flamed out. The Safety Board concludes that the upset event exposed both engines to inlet airflow disruption conditions that led to engine stalls and a complete loss of engine power.

   2007 January 9, National Transportation Safety Board, “2.2.2 Aerodynamic Stall and Upset Event”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A, Jefferson City, Missouri, October 14, 2004, archived from the original on 15 Mar 2022, page 46

3. figurativelyTo fail, usually spectacularly.
4. intransitiveTo stop due to exhaustion.