n. the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy; "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire"

n. a fireplace in which a relatively small fire is burning; "they sat by the fire and talked"

n. the event of something burning (often destructive); "they lost everything in the fire"

n. a severe trial; "he went through fire and damnation"

n. feelings of great warmth and intensity; "he spoke with great ardor"

n. the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke; "fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries"

n. fuel that is burning and is used as a means for cooking; "put the kettle on the fire"; "barbecue over an open fire"

n. [the state of burning]

v. to remove (someone) from employment; "The federal budget cuts threaten to disemploy thousands of government workers."

v. bake in a kiln so as to harden; "fire pottery"

v. drive out or away by or as if by fire; "The soldiers were fired"; "Surrender fires the cold skepticism"

v. cause to go off; "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet"

v. go off or discharge; "The gun fired"

v. start firing a weapon

v. provide with fuel; "Oil fires the furnace"