balefire

Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

balefire

(ˈbeɪlˌfaɪə)

1. a bonfire

2. a beacon fire

3. a funeral pyre

[C14 bale, from Old English bǣl pyre; related to Old Norse bāl flame, pyre, Sanskrit bhāla brightness]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bale•fire

(ˈbeɪlˌfaɪ^ər)

n.

a large outdoor fire; bonfire.

[1400–50; late Middle English bal(e)fir, with Middle English bale bonfire < Old Norse bāl funeral pyre, c. Old English bǣl]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

balefire - a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration

bonfire

fire - the event of something burning (often destructive); "they lost everything in the fire"

Mentioned in ?

References in periodicals archive ?

Michael Halford's Balefire is a threat, along with Aidan O'Brien's Turnberry Isle, third to Onlyhuman at Limerick last Saturday.

YEN AND NOT IF FOR McCREERY; IRISH RACING Maiden success on the cards for Willie

On that basis, he gets the vote to beat bottom-weight Balefire, a close third to Cnoc An Oir at Leopardstown last time, and Ballydoyle challenger Turnberry Isle, which showed signs of a return to form when third to Onlyhuman at Limerick last time.