Dictionary

catch fire en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To become engulfed in flames, to go up in flames.
   • Ships' logs noted observations of the northern lights as far south as the Caribbean, and telegraph systems across the world were disrupted as electrical currents were induced in the copper lines. Several telegraph operators received electric shocks and some telegraph stations even caught fire. 2023 November 15, Prof. Jim Wild, “This train was delayed because of bad weather in space”, in RAIL, number 996, page 30:
2. (figuratively) To become very popular or widespread; to take off.
   • The news caught fire through the school, and Layla found herself — a mere first-year student at the secondary school — the center of attention and admiration. 2002, Latifa Al-Zayyat, Marilyn Booth, The Open Door, page 9:
3. (figuratively) To be inspired by passion or zeal.

Forms

Antonyms

flame out · burn out · go out · splutter · gutter

Hypernyms

come into being · happen

Hyponyms

burn up

Relateds

kindle · incinerate · burn

Synonyms

conflagrate · catch flame · go up in flames · fire · take fire · combust · spunk · go up in smoke · catch fire · go up in flames · light · ignite · go on fire · go up in smoke · catch on fire

Translations (44)

eo bruliĝi (become engulfed in flames) · sv fatta eld (become engulfed in flames) · de Feuer fangen (become engulfed in flames) · nb fenge (become engulfed in flames) · sl vneti se (become engulfed in flames) · cmn 著火 (become engulfed in flames) · nb ta fyr (become engulfed in flames) · tr alev almak (become engulfed in flames) · wa prinde feu (become engulfed in flames) · nb antenne (become engulfed in flames) · ko 인화(引火)하다 (become engulfed in flames) · ru загоре́ться (become engulfed in flames) · pl zapalić się (become engulfed in flames) · la ignescō (become engulfed in flames) · pt pegar fogo (become engulfed in flames) · ru возгора́ться (become engulfed in flames) · fi syttyä tuleen (become engulfed in flames) · cmn 發火 /发火 (become engulfed in flames) · tr tutuşmak (become engulfed in flames) · la ardescō (become engulfed in flames) · ru возгоре́ться (become engulfed in flames) · nb fate (become engulfed in flames) · cmn 失火 (become engulfed in flames) · ru загора́ться (become engulfed in flames) · cmn 起火 (become engulfed in flames) · pl zapalać się (become engulfed in flames) · es prender fuego (become engulfed in flames) · sv börja brinna (become engulfed in flames) · ko 발화(發火)하다 (become engulfed in flames) · it infiammarsi (become engulfed in flames) · ar اِشْتَعَلَ (become engulfed in flames) · nb fatte (become engulfed in flames) · hy կպչել (become engulfed in flames) · fr prendre feu (become engulfed in flames) · ja 引火する (become engulfed in flames) · ml തീപിടിക്കുക (become engulfed in flames) · cy mynd ar dân (become engulfed in flames) · de entflammen (become engulfed in flames) · it prendere fuoco (become engulfed in flames) · sv ta fyr (become engulfed in flames) · ota یانمق (become engulfed in flames) · nl vuur vatten (become engulfed in flames) · yue 著火 (become engulfed in flames) · fr s'enflammer (become engulfed in flames)