flare

plural flares

1. A sudden bright light.
2. A source of brightly burning light or intense heat.

   solar flare

   5 more examples

   I was looking in the direction of the lightship off and on from the time we first sighted her. I could not be mistaken in such a matter as a flare-up light. By a flare-up light I mean a large bright light waved in the air, something like a torch dipped in resin and waved about. I am prepared to say that any person who has sworn that she shewed a flare-up light from the lightship while the Kanagawa Maru was passing has perjured himself.

   1876 January 28, “Japanese Consulate General, Shanghai. Before E. Shinagawa, Esq., Consul-General. Jan. 22, 1876. Capt. Roper v. Mitsu Bishi Mail S.S. Co.”, in The Japan Mail. A Fortnightly Summary of Intelligence from Japan, […], volume VII, number 9, Yokohama: Printed and published for the proprietor by H. Collins, […

   [T]he forward deck near the house was all saturated with spilt oil and there was a quantity of oakum lying about, some of which possibly had been used for flares or distress signals.

   1913 December 13, “The Inquest Resumed. [Captain Froggatt’s Report.]”, in The North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette: The Weekly Edition of the North-China Daily News, volume CIX (New Series), number 2418, Shanghai: Printed and published for the proprietors, The North-China Daily News & Herald, Ltd., […], →OCLC, page 807, column 2

   In the little fair created by the costers' barrows the evening only seemed beginning; and the naphtha flares made one's eyes ache, the men's voices grated harshly, and the girls' faces saddened one.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, pages 87–88

   We made a movie picture by the use of flares, the brilliant light startling the blacks, but their surprise quickly gave way to enthusiasm,—just another of the white bwana's magic powers.

   1926, Edwin S. George, “African Nights”, in Cairo to Cape: Four Afoot through Africa, New York, N.Y.: The Knickerbocker Press, →OCLC, page 195

   The white light during M dwarf flares has long been known to exhibit the broadband shape of a T ≈ 10 000 K blackbody, and the white light in solar-flares is thought to arise primarily from hydrogen recombination. Yet, a current lack of broad-wavelength coverage solar flare spectra in the optical/near-UV region prohibits a direct comparison of the continuum properties to determine if they are indeed so different. New spectroscopic observations of a secondary flare during the decay of a megaflare on the dM4.5e star YZ CMi have revealed multiple components in the white-light continuum of stellar flares, including both a blackbody-like spectrum and a hydrogen-recombination spectrum.

   2012 March, A. F. Kowalski, S. L. Hawley, J. A. Holtzmann, J. P. Wisniewski, E. J. Hilton, “The Multiple Continuum Components in the White-light Flare of 16 January 2009 on the dM4.5e Star YZ CMi”, in Solar Physics, volume 277, number 1, →DOI, page 21; republished in Yuhong Fan and George Fisher, editors, Solar Flare Magnetic Fields and Plasmas, New York, N.Y.; Dordrecht: Springer, 2012, →ISBN, abstract, page 21

   1. A type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light without an explosion, used to attract attention in an emergency, to illuminate an area, or as a decoy.

      The flares attracted the heat-seeking missiles.

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      Flares were used to steer the traffic away from the accident.

      Stowed away in the plane Jack had a signal pistol and several red and green cartridges, but until a search plane appeared the flares would be useless.

      1946, Clayton Knight, The Quest of the Golden Condor, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →OCLC, page 262

      While he was putting on the snowplough, the Whites shot up a flare to see what was happening. It floated above us like a fizzing star at the end of a tiny white petal of a parachute. We threw ourselves down, in between the rails, in there with the dog shit.

      2009, James Fleming, chapter 55, in Cold Blood, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN; republished London: Vintage Books, 2010, →ISBN, page 262

   2. oil industryA flame produced by a burn-off of waste gas (flare gas) from a flare tower (or flare stack), typically at an oil refinery.

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      Flare stacks are used in gas plants, petroleum refineries, and petrochemical plants to combust surplus hydrocarbons to produce combustion products that are neither toxic nor combustible. Flares frequently incorporate a liquid-gas separator at the base of the stack and steam assisted burner nozzles at the top of the stack to aid complete combustion.

      2013, David Brennan, “Identification of Waste in Utility Systems”, in Sustainable Process Engineering: Concepts, Strategies, Evaluation, and Implementation, Singapore: Pan Stanford Publishing, →ISBN, part B (Strategies), section 6.8 (Flare Stacks), page 122

3. figurativelyA sudden eruption or outbreak; a flare-up.

   "A strange flare of maternal pride," he remarked in his usual detached fashion as he rejoined Parkinson.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

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   Antiinflammatory corticosteroid creams and ointments are prescribed for inflamed or lichenified areas. These creams are more effective when applied to damp skin. The lowest potency that controls signs should be used, and topical steroids are usually reserved for treatment of episodic flares.

   2013, Susan Rowen James, Kristine Ann Nelson, Jean Weiler Ashwill, “The Child with Major Alterations in Tissue Integrity”, in Nursing Care of Children: Principle & Practice, 4th edition, St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders, →ISBN, unit IV (Caring for Children with Health Problems), page 631, column 2

4. A widening of an object with an otherwise roughly constant width.

   That's a genuine early 70's flare on those pants.

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   During assembly of a flare tube fitting, a flare nut is used to secure the flared tubing’s tapered end to the also tapered fitting, producing a pressure-resistant, leak-tight seal.

   That silhouette which is at present under consideration, the much-talked-of "barrel," appears in a Bulloz suit of rough white woolen material stitched with blue cotton thread; both on the skirt and coat the flare is somewhat lower than is usual with flares.

   1917 February 15, “The New York Guide to Fashion’s Course”, in Vogue, volume 49, number 4, New York, N.Y.: The Vogue Company, →OCLC, page 45

   The flare on the inside of the shoe resists ankle pronation; […]

   2003, Timothy D[avid] Noakes, Lore of Running, 4th edition, Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics, →ISBN, page 270

   1. nauticalThe increase in width of most ship hulls with increasing height above the waterline.

      Antonyms: tumblehome

5. in pluralBell-bottom trousers.

   2 more examples

   In the early 1970's, a giddy epoch in men's fashion, when denim flares and platform oxfords were the outer edge of style, Giorgio Armani made a suit that stretched. Imbued with spandex, the elastic fiber that gives a fabric extra bounce, the suit was one of the first in a long line of innovations that would eventually make Armani as familiar a brand as Kleenex.

   1991 September 15, Ruth La Ferla, “Next weave”, in The New York Times Magazine, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2018

   As a teenager I hitch-hiked around free rock concerts, wearing flowered shirts and denim flares – jeans that were worn so much, in such rough conditions, and with so little attention to washing and care that after a while they became naturally abraded and frayed in just the manner that is simulated by commerce today.

   2012, Daniel Miller, “Why Denim?”, in Consumption and Its Consequences, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire; Malden, Mass.: Polity Press, →ISBN, page 94

6. aeronauticsThe transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.

   The captain executed the flare perfectly, and we lightly touched down.

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   In normal operations, the rate of descent (or sink rate) will be approximately constant as the airplane approaches the runway. The objective of the flare is to reduce the vertical speed to an acceptably low value at the time when contact is made with the ground. […] Typically, the airplane will slow down a little in the flare and the touchdown speed will be about 3 to 5 kt less than the speed at the screen height[…].

   2018, Trevor M. Young, “Approach and Landing”, in Performance of the Jet Transport Airplane: Analysis Methods, Flight Operations, and Regulations, Hoboken, N.J.; Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, section 11.2.2 (Landing Flare), page 285

   Synonyms: flareout

7. ball gamesA low fly ball that is hit in the region between the infielders and the outfielders.

   Jones hits a little flare to left that falls for a single.

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   An observant base runner checks the outfield defense and easily goes from first to third when the batter hits a flare to right field. A base runner who does not observe the depth of the outfield must turn to watch the ball, see it drop, and then run. He probably doesn't make it to third base.

   2008, Mark Gola, “Character”, in Baseball’s Sixth Tool: Playing the Mental Game to Get the Competitive Edge, New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 7

   Synonyms: blooper, Texas leaguer

8. American footballA route run by the running back, releasing toward the sideline and then slightly arcing upfield looking for a short pass.
9. abbreviationellipsisartsEllipsis of lens flare.

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   The defect in question is the flare which frequently arises from the use of compound lenses when there is a very bright object in front, resulting in a ghost-like image of that object being thrown upon the plate. If the image of the object thus duplicated be in focus we designate it a "ghost;" if out of focus we call it "flare."

   1874 October 23, “On Certain Defects in Combination Landscape Lenses”, in The British Journal of Photography, volume XXI, number 755, London: Henry Greenwood, […], →OCLC, page 515, column 1

10. An acrobatic move of helicoptering one's torso on alternating arms.

present singular third person flares · participle present flaring · participle past flared · past flared

1. transitiveTo cause to burn; in particular, to burn off excess gas.

   Qatar joined the World Bank's Global Gas Flaring Reduction programme in early 2008, indicating its commitment to reducing the process of flaring the gas found with oil deposits.

   2008, “Going Green: The Country is Keen to Increase Its Environmental Credentials”, in The Report: Qatar 2008, [s.l.]: Oxford Business Group, →ISBN, marginal note, page 247

   1 more example

   One time I was working with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) on fueling their fleet, and I was surprised to see them flaring the methane at their wastewater facility.

   2013 April, Blair L. Pollock, “Doing New Things”, in Lyle Estill, editor, Small Stories Big Changes: Agents of Change on the Frontlines of Sustainability, Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers, →ISBN, page 147

2. transitiveTo cause inflammation; to inflame.

   Trying to draw a breath flared the pressure on his chest into searing agony.

   2012, John Fisk, “October Fifth; Saturday”, in Monk’s Hood, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, book 2 (Comes the Demon), page 229

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   Adequate rest is incorporated into upper extremity training program so as not to flare the joint.

   2015, Theresa A. Chiaia, Miho J. Tanaka, Christopher S. Ahmad, “[Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries and Sternoclavicular Joint Injuries] Nonoperative Rehabilitation of Clavicular Fractures”, in Bruce Reider, George J. Davies, Matthew T. Provencher, Orthopaedic Rehabilitation of the Athlete: Getting Back in the Game, Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders, →ISBN, page 383, column 1

3. ambitransitiveTo open outward in shape.

   The sides of a bowl flare. (intransitive)

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   The cat flared its nostrils while sniffing at the air. (transitive)

   The cat’s nostrils flared when it sniffed at the air. (intransitive)

   The building flared from the third through the seventh floors to occupy the airspace over the entrance plaza. (intransitive)

   We claim as our invention—The rigid parts G and H′, and flexible part H with screws I, for forcibly operating when the parts are flared, as represented, and the strap H is drawn obliquely inward or together at the sides, so as to press all the surface of the bent and flared casket end, as herein set forth.

   1871 May 30, Edward T. Smith, Joseph S. Winston, Improvement in Devices for Making Ends of Burial-cases, US Patent 115,536, page 3

   That portion of said wrist eye beyond the pitman forms a cylindrical orifice, e, which, towards its other end, gradually flares outward, as at e′.

   1872 December 20, Joseph A. Shephard, Improvement in Pitman Connections, US Patent 140,312, page 2, column 2

4. ambitransitiveaeronauticsTo (operate an aircraft to) transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.

   After a brief refueling stop in Fairbanks, Billy continued on to the cabin. As he flared the Huey [a helicopter] to land, he could see Moses running out of the cabin to greet him

   2012, Wil Johnson, chapter 6, in Revenge and Restoration, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 35

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   I had one instructor that called and said he had tried everything to solo his student but the guy just couldn't get the picture of what was expected. One time around the airport the student would flare the airplane twenty feet in the air, and the next time around he would fly the nose into the ground. […] He either flared out very high, or didn't flare out at all.

   2013 May 31, Steve Grizzle, “As Flight Instructor”, in The 3 ‘P’ Man: Memoirs of a Perfect Life Adventure: A Preacher, a Pilot, and a Police Officer All in One Person, Bloomington, Ind.: iUniverse, →ISBN, pages 71–72

5. intransitiveTo blaze brightly.

   The blast furnace flared in the night.

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   Thou rear'st thy stately neck, / And, while I list, thou flarest in men's eyes / A gorgeous queen; […]

   1802, Joanna Baillie, “Ethwald: A Tragedy, in Five Acts. Part Second.”, in A Series of Plays: In which It is Attempted to Delineate the Stronger Passions of the Mind. […], volume II, London: […] T[homas] Cadell, Jun. and W[illiam] Davies, […], →OCLC, Act V, scene v, page 351

   And when Slaughter and Pillage begin to tire, / High flareth red Fire! / How he roars and hisses and flashes! / His frenzy soon turns / The proud pile to a mass of grey ashes, […]

   1846 June, “Anthologia Germanica, No. XXII. Uhland’s Ballads.”, in The Dublin University Magazine, a Literary and Political Journal, volume XXVII, number CLXII, Dublin: James McGlashan, […]; London: W[illiam] S[omerville] Orr and Company, →OCLC, page 678

   This phrase was "Flare up!" and it is, even now, a colloquialism in common use. It took its rise in the time of the Reform riots, when Bristol was nearly half burned by the infuriated populace. The flames were said to have flared up in the devoted city.

   1850, Charles Mackay, “Popular Follies in Great Cities”, in Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions, volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lindsay and Blackiston, →OCLC, page 218

   Now spent night her watchers spareth, / Now the sun's bright banner flareth, / Now morn's gale day's trump is blowing.

   1860, R[obert] W[ilson] Evans, “XV. Christian Battle.”, in Daily Hymns, London: Joseph Masters, […], →OCLC, page 38

   On he went a few paces and touched a second, then a third, and a fourth, till at last we were surrounded on all three sides by a great ring of bodies flaring furiously, the material with which they were preserved having rendered them so inflammable that the flames would literally spout out of the ears and mouth in tongues of fire a foot or more in length.

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC

6. intransitiveTo shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light.

   The candle flared in a sudden draught.

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   The substance to which all common flames owe their brightness is finely-divided charcoal. […] Of this formation of charcoal the proof is obvious whenever a candle flares and smokes; for the unburnt charcoal soon collects in the upper part of the flame, and if not removed is apt to fall into the cup of the candle, where it forms a kind of second wick, rapidly melting away the tallow, and disfiguring the candle, […]

   1850 March 9, “The Candle”, in The Working Man’s Friend, and Family Instructor, volume I, number 10, London: Printed and published by John Cassell, […], →OCLC, page 302, column 2

7. figurativelyintransitiveTo shine out with gaudy colours; to be offensively bright or showy.

   [B]y a robe of white, the which ſhe weares, / With ribones pendant flaring bout her head, / I ſhalbe ſure to know her, […]

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi]

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   Wealth's golden key displayeth she, / And robes of state she weareth, / And the jewell'd star of high degree, / Fix'd at her bosom flareth.

   1850, N. J. H., “To a Sister on Attaining the Age of Twenty-one”, in F[rancis] W[illiam] Newman, editor, A Collection of Poetry for the Practice of Elocution. […], London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberly, […], →OCLC, page 32

8. figurativelyintransitiveTo suddenly happen or intensify.

   The genius of the poet [John Keats] flares up, dies out, and flares again, as if there were a dearth of fuel to feed it; and by this fault, more than any other, he is removed out of the class of great poets, and occupies but the second rank.

   1851 October, J[ames] D[avenport] W[helpley], “The ‘Hyperion’ of John Keats”, in The American Whig Review, volume XIII, number LXXXII (volume VIII, number IV (New Series)), New York, N.Y.: Published at 120 Nassau Street; John A. Gray, printer, […], →OCLC, page 312, column 1

   Synonyms: flare up

9. figurativelyintransitiveTo suddenly erupt in anger.

   [H]e flared up very much when I told him I could not give him the schedule.

   1868, “[Sale of Iron-clads.] Testimony. Appendix C.”, in Reports of Committees of the House of Representatives for the Second Session of the Fortieth Congress, 1867–’68 (Report; no. 64), volume 2, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 57

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   One of the most heated periods occurred in 1965 when the Forest Service decided forest lands could no longer tolerate unrestricted grazing by livestock, especially hogs. […] Notice went out to local residents, and the following year, 1966, Forest Service personnel began trapping hogs grazing in trespass. Both hog owners and cattlemen were angry. Tempers flared, and so did the fires. The number of incendiary fires increased and it seems reasonable to assume some relationship between the two events.

   1981, Sharon M. W. Bass, “Years of Challenge”, in For the Trees: An Illustrated History of the Ozark–St. Francis National Forests, 1908–1978, [Atlanta, Ga.?]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Region, →OCLC, page 123

   Synonyms: flare up

10. intransitiveobsoleteTo be exposed to too much light.

    […] I [Satan] cannot ſtay / Flaring in ſun-ſhine all the day: / For, entre nous, we helliſh ſprites, / Love more the freſco of the nights; […]

    a. 1722 (date written), Matthew Prior, “Hans Carvel”, in The Poetical Works of Matthew Prior […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan, […], published 1779, →OCLC, page 124