Dictionary

fire-breathing en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From fire + breathing.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable, of a fabled animal, qualifier:such as a dragon) That expels fire from the mouth and nostrils.
   • No man could shake a finger at Beowulf. All the days of his life he had sought the path of right, escaped traps, killed foes, and ruled fairly. Now it was time for him to stand up to the fire-breathing worm. 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 42:
   • a fire-breathing dragon
   • Medea for the loue of Iaſon, taught him how to tame the fire breathing braſſ feeted Bulls, and kill the mighty dragon that kept the golden fleece[.] 1632, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Henry Cryps, page 548:
   • Then the bane of that people, the fire-breathing dragon, was mad to attack for a third time. 1999, Seamus Heaney, Beowulf, London: Faber and Faber, page 84:
2. (literary, not-comparable) That emits or belches forth fire.
   • The deadly fire-breathing Cannon roar, Sending destructive Heralds thro' the Field. 1706, Charles Johnson, Ramelies: A Poem, London: Ben Bragg, page 8:
3. (idiomatic, not-comparable) caustic, vitriolic or scathing.
   • a fire-breathing rant

Forms

Relateds

firebreather · firebreath · dragonbreath

Translations (8)

be агняды́шны (that emits flame) · mk огнодишен (that emits flame) · ru огнеды́шащий (that emits flame) · gu આગ-ફૂંકતું (that emits flame) · uk вогнеди́шний (that emits flame) · grc πυρίπνοος (that emits flame) · sv eldsprutande (that emits flame) · ga craoslasrach (that emits flame)