n.
- a hot glowing body of ignited gas that is generated by something on fire.
- a thing compared to a flame's ability to burn fiercely or be extinguished:
the flame of hope.
- a brilliant orange-red colour.
- informal a vitriolic or abusive email or newsgroup posting, typically one sent in quick response to another.
v.
- give off flames.
▸set alight.
- (of an intense emotion) appear suddenly and fiercely.
- (of a person's face) become red with embarrassment or anger.
- informal send an abusive email to.
-
(flame out)
(of a jet engine) lose power through the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber.
-
(flame out)
informal, chiefly N. Amer. fail conspicuously.
Phrase
- old flame
informal a former lover.
Derivative
- flameless adj.
- flamer n. (Computing, informal).
- flamy
(also flamey)
adj.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. flame (n.), flamer (v.), from L. flamma ‘a flame’.