blaze

blaze

blaze¹ [blāz]

n.

[ME blase < OE blæse, blase, a torch, flame < IE * bhles-, shine < base * bhel-: see BLACK]

1. a brilliant mass or burst of flame; strongly burning fire

2. any very bright, often hot, light or glare [the blaze of searchlights]

3. a sudden, spectacular occurrence; showy outburst [a blaze of oratory]

4. a brightness; vivid display; flash

5. [pl.] hell: a euphemism, esp. in the phrase go to blazes!

vi.

blazed, blazing

1. to burn rapidly or brightly; flame

2. to give off a strong, vivid light; shine very brightly; glare

3. to be deeply stirred or excited, as with anger

vt.

Rare to cause to blaze

to cause to blaze

——————

blaze away

1. to fire a gun rapidly a number of times

2. to speak heatedly

SYN.- BLAZE¹ suggests a hot, intensely bright, relatively large and steady fire [the blaze of a burning house ]; FLAME generally refers to a single, shimmering, tonguelike emanation of burning gas [the flame of a candle ]; FLICKER¹ suggests an unsteady, fluttering flame, esp. one that is dying out [the last flicker of his oil lamp ]; FLARE implies a sudden, bright, unsteady light shooting up into darkness [the flare of a torch ]; GLOW suggests a steady, warm, subdued light without flame or blaze [the glow of burning embers ]; GLARE¹ implies a steady, unpleasantly bright light [the glare of a bare light bulb ]

blaze² [blāz]

n.

[< ON blesi: for IE base see BLAZE¹]

1. a light-colored spot on an animal's face

☆ 2. a mark made on a tree, as to mark a trail, by cutting off a piece of bark

vt.

blazed, blazing

☆ to mark (a tree or trail) with blazes

——————

☆ blaze a way or blaze a path

to pioneer, set a direction or course, etc. [she blazed a new path in modern dance]

blaze³ [blāz]

vt.

blazed, blazing [ME blasen, to blow < OE or ON form akin to Ger < IE * bhlē- < base * bhel-, to swell, blow up > BALL¹; infl. by BLAZON]

to make known publicly; spread the news of; proclaim