wildfire


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wild·fire

 (wīld′fīr′)
n.
1. A raging, rapidly spreading fire.
2. Something that acts very quickly and intensely: a land swept by the wildfire of revolution.
3. Lightning occurring without audible thunder.
4. A luminosity that appears over swamps or marshes at night; ignis fatuus.
5. A highly flammable material, such as Greek fire, once used in warfare.
Idiom:
like wildfire
Rapidly and intensely: The disease spread like wildfire.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

wildfire

(ˈwaɪldˌfaɪə)
n
1. (Elements & Compounds) a highly flammable material, such as Greek fire, formerly used in warfare
2.
a. a raging and uncontrollable fire
b. anything that is disseminated quickly (esp in the phrase spread like wildfire)
3. (Physical Geography) lightning without audible thunder
4. (Physical Geography) another name for will-o'-the-wisp
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wild•fire

(ˈwaɪldˌfaɪər)

n.
1. a highly flammable composition, as Greek fire, difficult to extinguish when ignited, formerly used in warfare.
2. any large fire that spreads rapidly and is hard to extinguish.
Idioms:
like wildfire, very rapidly and with unchecked force.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.wildfire - a raging and rapidly spreading conflagrationwildfire - a raging and rapidly spreading conflagration
conflagration, inferno - a very intense and uncontrolled fire
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
حَريق هائِل مُدَمِّر

wildfire

[ˈwaɪldˌfaɪəʳ] N to spread like wildfirecorrer como un reguero de pólvora
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

wildfire

[ˈwaɪldfaɪər] n
to spread like wildfire → se répandre comme une traînée de poudrewild flowers nplfleurs fpl sauvages
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

wildfire

[ˈwaɪldˌfaɪəʳ] n to spread like wildfirediffondersi a macchia d'olio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

wild

(waild) adjective
1. (of animals) not tamed. wolves and other wild animals.
2. (of land) not cultivated.
3. uncivilized or lawless; savage. wild tribes.
4. very stormy; violent. a wild night at sea; a wild rage.
5. mad, crazy, insane etc. wild with hunger; wild with anxiety.
6. rash. a wild hope.
7. not accurate or reliable. a wild guess.
8. very angry.
ˈwildly adverb
ˈwildness noun
ˈwildfire: spread like wildfire
(of eg news) to spread extremely fast.
ˈwildfowl noun plural
wild birds, especially water birds such as ducks, geese etc.
ˌwild-ˈgoose chase
an attempt to catch or find something one cannot possibly obtain.
ˈwildlife noun
wild animals, birds, insects etc collectively. to protect wildlife.
in the wild
(of an animal) in its natural surroundings. Young animals have to learn to look after themselves in the wild.
the wilds
the uncultivated areas (of a country etc). They're living out in the wilds of Australia somewhere.
the Wild Westwest
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
"It's just like you," Godfrey burst out, in a bitter tone, "to talk about my selling Wildfire in that cool way--the last thing I've got to call my own, and the best bit of horse-flesh I ever had in my life.
The fashion spread like wildfire. Before a week was over, every Square and Triangle in the district had copied the example of Chromatistes, and only a few of the more conservative Pentagons still held out.
They implored him not to uncork the bottle, since they and all their people were firm friends of the white men, and would always remain so; but, should the small-pox be once let out, it would run like wildfire throughout the country, sweeping off the good as well as the bad; and surely he would not be so unjust as to punish his friends for crimes committed by his enemies.
Almost before the company had crossed the moat the news spread through the town like wildfire.
Long before sunrise the news of this calamity spread like wildfire through the different encampments.
The news that Robin Hood had come back again to dwell in Sherwood as of old spread like wildfire all over the countryside, so that ere a se'ennight had passed nearly all of his old yeomen had gathered about him again.
The news had spread like wildfire through the town.
It was brought out forward in a wide-margined, beautifully decorated volume that struck the holiday trade and sold like wildfire. The critics were unanimous in the belief that it would take its place with those two classics by two great writers, "The Bottle Imp" and "The Magic Skin."
Leaning her head against the chimney-piece, with a great assumption of dignity and refinement of manner, sat an elderly female, in as many scraps of finery as Madge Wildfire herself.
They swarmed like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters; even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly, and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while among them ran Wildfire Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them ever to the fore.
Doors were already opening overhead, voices calling, voices answering, the alarm running like wildfire from room to room.
For Britain and France and Italy had declared war upon Germany and outraged Swiss neutrality; India, at the sight of Asiatic airships, had broken into a Hindoo insurrection in Bengal and a Mohametan revolt hostile to this in the North-west Provinces--the latter spreading like wildfire from Gobi to the Gold Coast--and the Confederation of Eastern Asia had seized the oil wells of Burmha and was impartially attacking America and Germany.