Dictionary

ablaze en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /əˈbleɪz/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English blaze English ablaze From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”).

Meanings

1. Burning fiercely; in a blaze; on fire.
   • The canoe, a dim shadowy thing, moves across the black water, / Bearing a torch ablaze at the prow. 1881, Walt Whitman, “The Torch”, in Leaves of Grass, Boston: James R. Osgood, page 305:
   • Tony Stark makes you feel He’s a cool exec with a heart of steel. As Iron Man, all jets ablaze, He’s fighting and smiting with repulsor rays! Amazing armor! That’s Iron Man! A blazing power! That’s Iron Man! 1966, “Iron Man (theme song)”, Jacques Urbont (lyrics) (The Marvel Super Heroes (television series)):
   • Mario Balotelli, in the headlines for accidentally setting his house ablaze with fireworks, put City on their way with goals either side of the interval as United struggled to contain the array of attacking talent in front of them. 2011 October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City”, in BBC Sport:
   • 1791, The Bee, Volume 4, Short Chronicle of Events, 27 July, 1791, p. v, On entering the walls which surround the house, then all ablaze, a most dreadful conflict took place […]
   • So Wang and Tiger’s men rushed into such houses as were not too ablaze and they began to drag out booty of silken pieces and yards of cloth and garments and anything they could carry. 1932, Pearl S. Buck, chapter 13, in Sons, Wakefield, RI: Moyer Bell, published 1992, pages 128-129:
2. Radiant with bright light and color.
   • The day being June the thirtieth, which is the very high-tide time of summer flowers, the immediate neighbourhood of the castle was ablaze with roses, pinks, pansies, carnations, hollyhocks, columbines, larkspurs, London pride, Canterbury bells, and a multitude of other choice blooms. 1923, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter I, in Leave It to Psmith:
   • Autumn is a lovely time to visit as the tree cover near the line is ablaze with colour. 2021 July 28, Paul Bigland, “Calder line captures picturesque Pennines”, in RAIL, number 936, page 69:
   • She loved this hour when the lights were coming up in the causeway: white and blue and orange lights and the hotels and coloured adverts ablaze but not yet effective in the pale twilight. 1961, Cyprian Ekwensi, chapter 3, in Jagua Nana, Greenwich, CT: Fawcett, published 1969, page 13:
   • All ablaze with crimson and gold. 1872, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christus: A Mystery:
   • The Heav’ns are all a-blaze, the face of night Is cover’d with a sanguine dreadful light: 1716, John Gay, Trivia, 3rd edition, London: Bernard Lintot, published 1730, Book 3, p. 64:
3. In a state of glowing excitement, ardent desire, or other strong emotion.
   • […] Dawit, glorious and fearless, charging at the enemy, […] his eyes ablaze with a hatred so pure that for a moment, the ascaro draws back before he lifts his weapon and aims. 2019, Maaza Mengiste, The Shadow King, Edinburgh: Canongate:
   • c. 1680, uncredited translator, An Essay upon the Action of an Orator by Michel Le Faucheur, London: Nicholas Cox, pp. 184-185, And this Fire of your Eyes easily strikes those of your Auditors, who have theirs constantly fixt upon yours; and it must needs set them a-blaze too upon the same Resentment and Passion.
   • His indifference to Carmen, who has all the other males in sight quivering with a passion never seen on land or sea, sets her ablaze; in a series of scenes which it is difficult to call erotic without adding that they are also infantile, she goes after him and he falls. 1955, James Baldwin, “Carmen Jones: The Dark is Light Enough”, in Notes of a Native Son, New York: Dial, published 1963, page 48:
   • Raoul was ablaze with indignation. 1880, George Washington Cable, chapter 40, in The Grandissimes, New York: Scribner, page 318:
   • The young Cambridge democrats were all ablaze to assist Torrijos. 1851, Thomas Carlyle, The Life of John Sterling:

Forms

Deriveds

set the world ablaze

Synonyms

afire (all senses) · aflame

Translations (88)

ru сверка́ющий (on fire) · gd lasrach (on fire) · fa شعلهور (on fire) · pl w ogniu (on fire) · hi प्रज्वलित (on fire) · oc enflamat (on fire) · nl stralend (radiant with bright light and color) · fi innokas (in a state of glowing excitement) · bg пламнал (on fire) · eo brulanta (on fire) · mi kongange (on fire) · fi kiihkeä (in a state of glowing excitement) · es radiante (in a state of glowing excitement) · ar مُشْتَعِل (on fire) · sh plamsajući (on fire) · es en llamas (on fire) · bg сияещ (radiant with bright light and color) · bg сияен (radiant with bright light and color) · mk пламнат (on fire) · io flamoza (on fire) · ja 着火 (on fire) · ca rogent (in a state of glowing excitement) · arz مشعلل (on fire) · sh goreći (on fire) · ca ardent (on fire) · pt brilhante (in a state of glowing excitement) · it fiammeggiante (on fire) · oc a fuòc (on fire) · ca cremant (on fire) · pt em brasas (on fire) · ro strălucind (in a state of glowing excitement) · nl in vuur en vlam (on fire) · io brulanta (on fire) · pt ardente (in a state of glowing excitement) · bg възбуден (in a state of glowing excitement) · pl rozjarzony (in a state of glowing excitement) · io brilanta (radiant with bright light and color) · io flamoza (in a state of glowing excitement) · de lodernd (on fire) · ca ardent (in a state of glowing excitement) · unm winkële (on fire) · ja 燃えている (on fire) · nl vol gloed (in a state of glowing excitement) · ru горя́щий (in a state of glowing excitement) · fi palava (on fire) · pt ardente (on fire) · mi pūkauri (on fire) · gd lasrach (in a state of glowing excitement) · cs hořící (on fire) · es resplandeciente (in a state of glowing excitement) · ja 興奮している (in a state of glowing excitement) · fi hehkuva (radiant with bright light and color) · cmn 燃燒 /燃烧 (on fire) · pt queimando (on fire) · ru возбуждённый (in a state of glowing excitement) · ca cremant (in a state of glowing excitement) · pt em chamas (on fire) · af aan die brand (on fire) · arz والع (on fire) · it in fiamme (on fire) · oc abrandat (on fire) · oc a fòc (on fire) · pt radiante (in a state of glowing excitement) · ro în flăcări (on fire) · io fairoza (on fire) · es ardiendo (on fire) · nl flonkerend (radiant with bright light and color) · sl iskreč se (in a state of glowing excitement) · bg енергичен (in a state of glowing excitement) · nl in lichterlaaie (on fire) · eo arda (radiant with bright light and color) · cs planoucí (radiant with bright light and color) · pt resplandecente (in a state of glowing excitement) · fr embrasé (on fire) · nl opgewonden (in a state of glowing excitement) · fa فروزان (radiant with bright light and color) · ka ცეცხლწაკიდებული (on fire) · bg лумнал (on fire) · ro aprins (on fire) · eo arda (on fire) · cmn 起火 (on fire) · ro lucitor (in a state of glowing excitement) · es ardiente (in a state of glowing excitement) · ka ალმოდებული (on fire) · cmn 著火 /着火 (on fire) · ro scânteind (in a state of glowing excitement) · ru пы́лкий (in a state of glowing excitement) · ru горя́щий (on fire)

ablaze en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /əˈbleɪz/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English blaze English ablaze From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”).

Meanings

1. On fire; in a blaze.
   • […] with the spontaneous combustion the house smouldered ablaze. 1969, Ray Bradbury, “The Haunting of the New”, in I Sing the Body Electric!, New York: Knopf, page 143:
2. Lit up brightly and with color, gleaming.
3. In a state of glowing excitement or ardent desire.

Forms

Translations (31)

io flamoze (glowing with excitement) · fi intoa täynnä (glowing with excitement) · de in Brand (on fire) · pl w ogniu (on fire) · hi प्रज्वलित (on fire) · fi ilmiliekeissä (on fire) · bg пламнал (on fire) · es en llamas (on fire) · pt brilhando (glowing with excitement) · fi tulessa (on fire) · fi kirkkaasti valaistu (lit up brightly and with color) · ru пыла́ющий (glowing with excitement) · ka ალში (on fire) · cmn 熾 /炽 (on fire) · ka ცეცხლში (on fire) · de lichterloh (on fire) · io brulante (on fire) · fi innoissaan (glowing with excitement) · pt ardendo (on fire) · io brilante (lit up brightly and with color) · pt queimando (on fire) · ca en flames (on fire) · ro în flăcări (on fire) · bg сияйно (glowing with excitement) · bg лумнал (on fire) · io fairoze (on fire) · fi liekeissä (on fire) · fr en flammes (on fire) · ja 輝いている (glowing with excitement) · io flamoze (on fire) · ru горя́щий (on fire)