5.5 Fire

Use this domain for general words that refer to fire and for words referring to types of fire. These words may be specific for what is being burned (forest fire 'a fire burning a forest'), the size of the fire (inferno 'a very large hot fire'), or the place where the fire burns (hellfire 'the fire in hell').

OMC Codes: 
372 Fire
Louw Nida Codes: 
2C Fire
  • What general words refer to a fire?
    fire, combustion,
  • What types of fire are there?
    fireball, torch, firebrand, fireworks, firecracker, burn a field before planting,
  • What words refer to what is being burned?
    house fire, forest fire, grass fire, wood fire, oil fire
  • What words refer to the size of the fire?
    spark, flame, flicker, finger, tongue, flare, blaze, conflagration, inferno, raging inferno
  • What words refer to where the fire is?
    campfire, hellfire
  • What words refer to a fire started by accident?
    blaze, the flames,
  • What words refer to a fire started on purpose?
    cook fire, bonfire, controlled fire,
  • What words refer to deliberately burning something?
    burn something, set something on fire, set fire to, torch (v),
  • What words refer to the crime of burning someone's house or field?
    arson, arsonist
  • What words describe something that burns easily?
    flammable, inflammable, combustible
  • What words describe something that will not burn?
    fireproof, unburnable, fire-resistant, unquenchable

    • 5.5.1 Light a fire

    Use this domain for words related to lighting a fire.

  • What words are used of a person starting a fire?
    light a fire, build a fire, make a fire, start a fire, ignite, light a match, set on fire, set fire to something, blow into flames, kindle,
  • What words refer to something beginning to burn?
    catch fire, start burning, burst into flames, spark, smolder
  • What things are used to start fires?
    match, matchstick, matchbox, flint and steel, cigarette lighter, lighter fluid, tinderbox,
  • What materials are used as kindling?
    kindling, tinder, punk

    • 5.5.2 Tend a fire

    Use this domain for words that refer to tending a fire--to keep a fire burning so that it burns well and does not go out.

  • What words refer to keeping a fire burning?
    tend a fire
  • What words refer to adding fuel to a fire?
    feed a fire, stoke a fire, throw another log on the fire
  • What words refer to blowing on a fire to make it bigger?
    fan a fire, fan into flames, blow on a fire, bellows, pump bellows
  • What words refer to making a fire bigger?
    build up a fire
  • What words refer to restarting a fire that has died down?
    rekindle
  • What words refer to keeping a fire from going out, such as covering a fire with ashes to keep it from going out during the night?
    bank a fire,
  • What words refer to taking something out of a fire?
    pull out of the fire, snatch from the flames,
  • What words refer to something taken out of a fire?
    firebrand
  • What words refer to a person who is responsible to make sure the fire does not go out?
    preserver of the fire,
  • What words refer to sharing fire with a neighbor whose fire has gone out?
    (no words in English)
  • What things are used to carry fire?
    fire pan, brazier
  • What tools are used to tend a fire?
    poker, tongs, wick trimmer, snuffer,

    • 5.5.3 Extinguish a fire

    Use this domain for all the ways a person can stop a fire.

  • What words refer to a fire stopping?
    die down, go out, burn itself out
  • What general words are used of a person stopping a fire?
    extinguish, put out (a fire), fight (a fire), stub out (a cigarette),
  • What words are used of stopping a fire with water?
    douse (a fire), quench (a fire)
  • What words are used of stopping a fire by blowing on it?
    blow out (a candle)
  • What words are used of stopping a fire by covering it?
    smother (a fire), snuff out (a flame)
  • What words refer to a person whose job is to stop fires?
    fireman, firefighter
  • What equipment is used to stop a fire?
    fire engine, fire truck, fire extinguisher

    • 5.5.4 Burn

    Use this domain for verbs that are used of fire: "The fire is ____." In some languages there are verbs for what is happening to the thing that is burning: "The house is ____."

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    14H Burning
  • What words refer to a fire burning?
    burn
  • What words describe a fire that is burning well?
    blaze, ablaze, burn fiercely, burn brightly, burn hot
  • What words describe a fire that is not burning well?
    die down, smolder
  • What words describe a fire that starts to burn again after having died down?
    flare up, flame up
  • What words describe the appearance of fire?
    flicker, dance, glow
  • What words refer to a fire burning something?
    burn something,
  • What words refer to something burning partly?
    blacken, scorch, singe,
  • What words refer to something burning completely?
    burn up, burn down, burn to the ground, consume, incinerate, destroy by fire, reduce to ashes,
  • What words refer to a fire making something hot?
    to heat something, to warm something
  • What words refer to something burning?
    be burning, go up in flames, go up in smoke, be in flames,
  • What words describe something that has been burned?
    burnt,

    • 5.5.5 What fires produce

    Use this domain for words related to the things that fires produce.

  • What do fires produce?
    flames, heat, light, smoke, fumes, exhaust, sparks, ash, soot
  • What words refer to a fire giving off something?
    to smoke, give off sparks, send up sparks, give off heat, glow
  • What words refer to smoke?
    smoke, smoky, blue with smoke, haze, smog
  • What do sparks do?
    shoot up, fly out, land on things
  • What sounds do fires make?
    crackle, pop, hiss, roar of the flames
  • What words refer to wood after it has been burning?
    embers, coals, live coals
  • What is left behind by a fire?
    ash, blackened wood, charred remains
  • What words refer to the material that is left on things near a fire?
    soot
  • What words refer to an area of ground that has been burned?
    burn (n), burned off area

    • 5.5.6 Fuel

    Use this domain for types of fuel and for words used in making, collecting, storing, or using fuel. This domain includes the scenario of collecting firewood.

  • What words refer to the thing that is burned by a fire?
    fuel
  • What types of things are normally used as fuel?
    wood, coal, charcoal, oil, gas, candle wax, kindling
  • What words refer to firewood?
    firewood, bundle of firewood, piece of firewood, stack of firewood
  • What words refer to collecting fuel?
    collect, gather, pick up, chop firewood, split firewood
  • What words refer to charcoal?
    charcoal
  • What words are used for making charcoal?
    cook
  • What words refer to liquid fuel?
    liquid fuel, gasoline (petrol), gas, kerosene (paraffin), diesel, candle wax, oil (lamp)
  • What containers are used to hold liquid fuels?
    gas can, jerry can

    • 5.5.7 Fireplace

    Use this domain for any place where fires are normally burned.

  • Where do people light fires?
    fireplace, stove, lamp, lantern, candle, trash heap, firepot, incinerator, furnace, heater, kiln, barbeque, forge, blast furnace, crematorium, brazier, range, cooker, gas ring, burner,
  • What are the parts of a fireplace?
    hearth, flue, grate, fireguard, screen, chimney, mantle, fender, hob, trivet,
  • What are the parts of a stove?
    oven, burner, grill,
  • What are the parts of a candle?
    candlestick, wax, wick
  • What are the parts of a lamp?
    lamp stand, oil, wick,