firing

verbcause to burn
verbdetonate or throw a weapon
verbexcite, arouse
verbdismiss from responsibility

Synonyms for firing

verb cause to burn

Antonyms for firing

Word Origin & History

c.1200, furen, figurative, "arouse, excite;" literal sense of "set fire to" is from late 14c., from fire (n.). The Old English verb fyrian "to supply with fire" apparently did not survive into Middle English.

The sense of "sack, dismiss" is first recorded 1885 in American English (earlier "throw (someone) out" of some place, 1871), probably from a play on the two meanings of discharge: "to dismiss from a position," and "to fire a gun," fire in the second sense being from "set fire to gunpowder," attested from 1520s. Of bricks, pottery, etc., from 1660s. Related: Fired; firing. Fired up "angry" is from 1824. Firing squad is attested from 1904.

Example Sentences for firing

Ben had drawn off his boots, and was firing them one after the other at the door.

Firing from ambush and moving from place to place, he would seem more than one man.

In less than half an hour after a firing commenced at Durant's.

Without wasting time in firing, they advanced with the bayonet.

They had heard the firing of the night and were disappointed at having been absent.

The natives would retaliate by firing into the camp at night.

The stairs also were pulled down and burned, though there was no scarcity of firing.

The firing was sharp on both sides, and it lasted a great while.

We did not know the cause of the last explosion, until after the firing ceased.

Some of our men were firing their guns at random into the underbrush.

firing

Synonyms for firing

Antonyms for firing

combustible

discharge

exhilaration

explosion

explosions

firing

Synonyms for firing

Antonyms for firing

More words related to firing

arson

combustible

discharge

exhilaration

explosion

explosions