Filipino (n.) — fire-engine (n.)
1898 (fem. Filipina), Spanish, from las Islas Filipinas "the Philippine Islands" (see Philippines).ETD Filipino (n.).2
mid-13c., fille, "a full supply," from Old English fyllu "fullness, 'fill,' feast, satiety," from Proto-Germanic *full-ino- "fullness" (source also of Old High German fulli, German Fülle, Old Norse fyllr), noun of state from *fullaz "full" (see full (adj.)). Meaning "extra material in music" is from 1934.ETD fill (n.).2
"calculated to fill or satisfy," 1620s, present-participle adjective from fill (v.).ETD filling (adj.).2
Old English fyllan "to fill, make full, fill up, replenish, satisfy; complete, fulfill," from Proto-Germanic *fulljanan "to fill" (source also of Old Saxon fulljan, Old Norse fylla, Old Frisian fella, Dutch vullen, German füllen, Gothic fulljan "to fill, make full"), a derivative of adjective *fullaz "full" (see full (adj.)). Related: Filled.ETD fill (v.).2
To fill the bill (1882) originally was U.S. theatrical slang, in reference to a star of such magnitude his or her name would be the only one on a show's poster. To fill out "write in required matter" is recorded from 1880.ETD fill (v.).3
c. 1400, "that which fills or fills up," verbal noun from fill (v.). Dentistry sense is from 1848. Filling station attested by 1915.ETD filling (n.).2
late 15c., "one who fills," agent noun from fill (v.). Meaning "something used to fill" is from 1590s. Specifically of food products by 1901.ETD filler (n.).2
early 14c., "little headband," from Old French filet "thread, filament; strip, ligament" (12c.), diminutive of fil "thread" (see file (v.1)). Sense of "cut of meat or fish" is from late 14c., apparently so called because it was prepared by being tied up with a string.ETD fillet (n.).2
c. 1600, "to bind with a narrow band," from fillet (n.). Meaning "to cut in fillets" is from 1846. Related: Filleted; filleting.ETD fillet (v.).2
c. 1400, filli, fyly, "a young mare, female colt or foal," possibly from Old Norse fylja, fem. of foli "foal," from Proto-Germanic *fuljo, from PIE *pulo- "young of an animal," suffixed form of root *pau- (1) "few, little." Slang sense of "lively young girl" is from 1610s.ETD filly (n.).2
"substitute," 1918 (as an adjective, 1916), from verbal phrase; see fill (v.), in (adv.). Earlier as a noun was fill-up (1811).ETD fill-in (n.).2
mid-15c., philippen "to flip something with the fingers, snap the fingers," possibly of imitative origin. As a noun, from 1520s, fyllippe.ETD fillip (v.).2
Old English filmen "membrane, thin skin, foreskin," from West Germanic *filminjan (source also of Old Frisian filmene "skin," Old English fell "hide"), extended from Proto-Germanic *fello(m) "animal hide," from PIE root *pel- (3) "skin, hide."ETD film (n.).2
Sense of "a thin coat of something" is 1570s, extended by 1845 to the coating of chemical gel on photographic plates. By 1895 this also meant the coating plus the paper or celluloid. Hence "a motion picture" (1905); sense of "film-making as a craft or art" is from 1920.ETD film (n.).3
c. 1600, "to cover with a film or thin skin," from film (v.). Intransitive sense is from 1844. Meaning "to make a movie of" is from 1899. Related: Filmed; filming.ETD film (v.).2
c. 1600, "composed of thin membranes," from film (n.) + -y (2). Related: Filminess.ETD filmy (adj.).2
also filmmaker, 1859 as a solution used in developing photographs, later "a producer of film for cameras" (by 1889), from film (n.) + maker. As "producer of a cinematographic work, movie-maker," from 1905.ETD film-maker (n.).2
1958, from French, literally "black film," from noir (12c.), from Latin niger (see Negro).ETD film noir (n.).2
1962, from film (n.) + ending from bibliography, etc.ETD filmography (n.).2
also filmstrip, 1930, from film (n.) + strip (n.).ETD film-strip (n.).2
early 15c., "piece of felt through which liquid is strained," from Old French feutre "felt, felt hat, carpet" (Modern French filtre) and directly from Medieval Latin filtrum "felt" (used to strain impurities from liquid), from West Germanic *filtiz (from PIE root *pel- (5) "to thrust, strike, drive"). Figurative use from c. 1600. As a pad of absorbent material attached to a cigarette, from 1908.ETD filter (n.).2
1570s (transitive), from French filtrer or from Medieval Latin filtrare, from filtrum "felt" (see filter (n.)). The figurative sense is from 1830. Intransitive use from 1798. Related: Filtered; filtering.ETD filter (v.).2
Old English fylð "uncleanness, impurity, foulness," from Proto-Germanic *fulitho (source also of Old Saxon fulitha "foulness, filth," Dutch vuilte, Old High German fulida), noun derivative of *fulo- "foul" (see foul (adj.)). A classic case of i-mutation.ETD filth (n.).2
late 12c., fulthe, "corrupt, sinful," from filth + -y (2). Meaning "physically unclean, dirty, noisome" is from late 14c. Meaning "morally dirty, obscene" is from 1530s.ETD filthy (adj.).2
Related: Filthily; filthiness.ETD filthy (adj.).3
"act or process of filtering," c. 1600, perhaps from French filtration (1570s), noun of action from filter "to filter" (see filter (v.)).ETD filtration (n.).2
1610s, probably a back-formation from filtration or else from Medieval Latin filtratus, from filtrum "felt" (see filter (n.)). Related: Filtrated; filtrating. As a noun, "liquid which has passed through a filter," by 1840.ETD filtrate (v.).2
"a fringing filament," from Late Latin fimbria (sing.), from Latin fimbriae (pl.), "fringe, border, threads." Related: Fimbriated (late 15c.); fimbrial.ETD fimbria (n.).2
mid-14c., adjective in past participle form from fin.ETD finned (adj.).2
Old English finn "fin," from Proto-Germanic *finno (source also of Middle Low German vinne, Dutch vin), perhaps from Latin pinna "feather, wing" (see pin (n.)); or, less likely, from Latin spina "thorn, spine" (see spine).ETD fin (n.).2
U.S. underworld slang sense of "$5 bill" is 1925, from Yiddish finif "five," from German fünf (from PIE root *penkwe- "five") and thus unrelated. The same word had been used in England in 1868 to mean "five pound note" (earlier finnip, 1839).ETD fin (n.).3
"get dishonestly or deviously," 1926, American English, possibly a variant of English dialectal fainaigue "to cheat or renege" (at cards), which is of unknown origin. Liberman says finagle is from figgle, phonetic variant of fiddle "fidget about," frequentative of fig. Related: Finagled; finagling.ETD finagle (v.).2
1850, from final + -ize. Related: Finalized; finalizing.ETD finalize (v.).2
short for final exams, by 1890; see final (adj.).ETD finals (n.).2
early 14c., from Old French final "final, last," and directly from Late Latin finalis "of or pertaining to an end, concluding, final," from finis "end" (see finish (v.)). As a noun, late 14c., "that which comes last;" meaning "final contest" in a sporting sense is from 1880. As a shortening of final examination, from 1880.ETD final (adj.).2
1783, a musical term, from noun use of Italian finale "final," from Latin finalis "of or pertaining to an end" (see final). From 1724 as an Italian word in English. Figurative use by 1810.ETD finale (n.).2
late 14c., fynaly "at the end;" c. 1400, "completely, beyond recovery;" from final + -ly (2).ETD finally (adv.).2
1540s, "a goal, a guiding object," from French finalité, from Late Latin finalitatem (nominative finalitas) "state of being final," from Latin finalis "last, of or pertaining to an end" (see final). From 1833 as "quality or state of being final."ETD finality (n.).2
chiefly British English spelling of finalize. For suffix, see -ize. Related: Finalised; finalising.ETD finalise (v.).2
"competitor remaining after eliminations," 1896, from final + -ist. Earlier "one who believes the end has been reached" (1883).ETD finalist (n.).2
1947, translation of German Endlösung, name given to Nazi Jewish policy from 1941.ETD final solution (n.).2
late 15c., "to ransom" (obsolete), from finance (n.). Sense of "to manage money" is recorded from 1827; that of "to furnish with money" is from 1866. Related: Financed; financing.ETD finance (v.).2
c. 1400, "an end, settlement, retribution," from Old French finance "end, ending; pardon, remission; payment, expense; settlement of a debt" (13c.), noun of action from finer "to end, settle a dispute or debt," from fin (see fine (n.)). Compare Medieval Latin finis "a payment in settlement, fine or tax."ETD finance (n.).2
The notion is of "ending" (by satisfying) something that is due (compare Greek telos "end;" plural tele "services due, dues exacted by the state, financial means"). The French senses gradually were brought into English: "ransom" (mid-15c.), "taxation" (late 15c.); the sense of "management of money, science of monetary business" first recorded in English 1770.ETD finance (n.).3
"pecuniary resources, funds in money," 1730, modeled on the French cognate, from plural of finance (n.).ETD finances (n.).2
1769, from finance (n.) + -ial. Related: Financially.ETD financial (adj.).2
1610s, "one concerned with finances" (especially public), from French financier (16c.), from finance (see finance (n.)). Sense of "capitalist, one skilled in financial operations" is first recorded 1867.ETD financier (n.).2
common European bird, Old English finc "finch," from Proto-Germanic *finkiz "finch" (source also of Middle Low German and Middle Dutch vinke, Dutch vink, Old High German finco, German Fink), perhaps imitative of the bird's note (compare Breton pint "chaffinch," Russian penka "wren," also spink, a dialectal name for it attested in English from early 15c.).ETD finch (n.).2
Old English findan "come upon, meet with; discover; obtain by search or study" (class III strong verb; past tense fand, past participle funden), from Proto-Germanic *findan "to come upon, discover" (source also of Old Saxon findan, Old Frisian finda, Old Norse finna, Middle Dutch vinden, Old High German findan, German finden, Gothic finþan), originally "to come upon."ETD find (v.).2
The Germanic word is from PIE root *pent- "to tread, go" (source also of Old High German fendeo "pedestrian;" Sanskrit panthah "path, way;" Avestan panta "way;" Greek pontos "open sea," patein "to tread, walk;" Latin pons (genitive pontis) "bridge;" Old Church Slavonic pǫti "path," pęta "heel;" Russian put' "path, way;" Armenian hun "ford," Old Prussian pintis "road"). The prehistoric sense development in Germanic would be from "to go" to "to find (out)," but Boutkan has serious doubts about this.ETD find (v.).3
Germanic *-th- in English tends to become -d- after -n-. The change in the Germanic initial consonant is from Grimm's Law. To find out "to discover by scrutiny" is from 1550s (Middle English had a verb, outfinden, "to find out," c. 1300).ETD find (v.).4
"person or thing discovered, discovery of something valuable," 1825, from find (v.).ETD find (n.).2
c. 1300, "act of discovering" (by chance or after searching; also an instance of this); verbal noun from find (v.). From c. 1400 as "what the mind discovers; knowledge attained by human effort" (as distinct from revelation or authority). Late 14c. as "act of sustaining, supporting, or providing the necessities of life; that which is provided by way of sustenance and support." Legal sense "proceedings leading to a verdict in an inquisition, etc.," is from mid-15c. Old English finding meant "invention." Related: Findings.ETD finding (n.).2
c. 1300, agent noun from find (v.).ETD finder (n.).2
1890, from French fin de siècle "end of century," phrase used as an adjective. At the time it meant "modern;" now it means "from the 1890s." "App. first in title of a comedy, Paris fin de siècle, produced at the Gymnase, Feb. 1890" [Weekley]. French siècle "century, age" is from Latin saeculum "age, span of time, generation" (see secular).ETD fin de siecle (adj.).2
c. 1200, "termination, end; end of life," from Old French fin "end, limit, boundary; death; fee, payment, finance, money" (10c.), from Latin finis "end" (see finish (v.)), in Medieval Latin also "payment in settlement, fine or tax."ETD fine (n.).2
Modern meaning "exaction of money payment for an offense or dereliction" is via sense of "sum of money paid for exemption from punishment or to compensate for injury" (mid-14c., from the same sense in Anglo-French, late 13c.) and from phrases such as to make fine "make one's peace, settle a matter" (c. 1300). Meaning "sum of money imposed as penalty for some offense" is first recorded 1520s.ETD fine (n.).3
late 13c., "pay as a ransom or penalty," from fine (n.). Inverted meaning "to punish by pecuniary penalty" is from 1550s. Related: Fined; fining.ETD fine (v.).2
mid-13c., "unblemished, refined, pure, free of impurities," also "of high quality, choice," from Old French fin "perfected, of highest quality" (12c.), a back-formation from finire or else from Latin finis "that which divides, a boundary, limit, border, end" (see finish (v.)); hence "acme, peak, height," as in finis boni "the highest good." The English word is from c. 1300 as "rich, valuable, costly;" also in a moral sense "true, genuine; faithful, constant." From late 14c. as "expertly fashioned, well or skillfully made," also, of cloth, "delicately wrought." Of weapons or edges, "sharp" from c. 1400. In reference to quality of gold and silver, late 15c.ETD fine (adj.).2
In French, the main meaning remains "delicate, intricately skillful;" in English since c. 1300 fine has been also a general broad expression of admiration or approval, the equivalent of French beau (as in fine arts, "those which appeal to the mind and the imagination," 1767, translating French beaux-arts). Related: Finer; finest. Fine print is from 1861 as "type small and close-set;" by 1934 in the extended sense "qualifications and limitations of a deal."ETD fine (adj.).3
early 14c., "perfectly, completely," from fine (adj.) + -ly (1). Meaning "delicately, minutely" is from 1540s; that of "excellently" is from 1680s.ETD finely (adv.).2
c. 1400, from fine (adj.) + -ness.ETD fineness (n.).2
1670s, "showy dress," from fine (adj.) + -ery. Literally, "something that is fine."ETD finery (n.).2
1520s, "fineness" (obsolete); 1530s, "artifice, delicate stratagem," from French finesse "fineness, subtlety," from Old French fin "subtle, delicate" (see fine (adj.)).ETD finesse (n.).2
"to use fine stratagems," 1746, originally as a term in whist; see finesse (n.). Related: Finessed; finessing.ETD finesse (v.).2
c. 1600, "epicurean, having delicate tastes," from fine (adj.) + toothed "having teeth" (of a certain kind); see tooth (n.). By 1703 as "having fine teeth" (of a saw, file, comb, etc.); fine-tooth in this sense attested from 1804.ETD fine-toothed (adj.).2
also fine-tune, 1969, a back-formation from fine-tuning (1909 in reference to radio; earlier in various machinery contexts). From fine (adj.) + tune (v.). Related: Fine-tuning.ETD fine-tune (v.).2
"terminal or digital member of the hand" (in a restricted sense not including the thumb), Old English finger, fingor "finger," from Proto-Germanic *fingraz (source also of Old Saxon fingar, Old Frisian finger, Old Norse fingr, Dutch vinger, German Finger, Gothic figgrs "finger"), with no cognates outside Germanic; perhaps ultimately from PIE root *penkwe- "five."ETD finger (n.).2
As a unit of measure for liquor and gunshot (late Old English) it represents the breadth of a finger, about three-quarters of an inch. They generally are numbered from the thumb outward, and named index finger, fool's finger, leech- or physic-finger, and ear-finger.ETD finger (n.).3
early 15c., "to touch or point to with the finger" (but see fingering (n.1) from late 14c.), from finger (n.). Sense of "play upon a musical instrument" is from 1510s. Meaning "touch or take thievishly" is from 1520s. The meaning "identify a criminal" is underworld slang first recorded 1930. Related: Fingered; fingering. Compare Dutch vingeren, German fingern, Swedish fingra, all from their respective nouns.ETD finger (v.).2
"action or method of using the fingers in playing a musical instrument," late 14c., fyngerynge, noun of action from finger (v.). Mid-15c. as "action of touching lightly."ETD fingering (n.1).2
"thick, loose woolen yarn," 1680s, from fingram, from French fin grain, literally "fine grain."ETD fingering (n.2).2
of a violin, etc., 1670s, from finger (n.) + board (n.1).ETD finger-board (n.).2
1822, of gloves, from finger (n.) + -less.ETD fingerless (adj.).2
also fingernail, early 13c., from finger (n.) + nail (n.).ETD finger-nail (n.).2
also finger-print, 1834, from finger (n.) + print (n.). Attempts to classify fingerprint types as a means of identification began in the 1820s; the current arch-loop-whorl system was introduced by Francis Galton in 1892. Admissibility as evidence as valid proof of guilt in murder trials in U.S. was upheld in 1912. From 1900 as a verb. Related: Fingerprinted; fingerprinting.ETD fingerprint (n.).2
also fingertip, 1817, from finger (n.) + tip (n.). Related: Fingertips. To have something at one's fingertips is from 1870.ETD finger-tip (n.).2
Latin, literally "the end" (see finish (v.)). Word often placed 15c.-19c. at the end of a book.ETD finis (n.).2
"ornament at the top of a spire, gable, etc.," mid-15c., from fyniall "putting an end to, binding" (early 15c.), a variant of final.ETD finial (n.).2
"fastidious, affecting extreme elegance in manners, taste, or speech," 1590s; see finicky. Related: finically; finicality; finick (v.), 1857.ETD finical (adj.).2
1825, "dainty, mincing," from finical "too particular" (1590s), which perhaps is from fine (adj.) + -ical as in cynical, ironical (OED says "ultimate derivation" from the adjective "seems probable"). But finikin (1660s) "dainty, precise in trifles" has been proposed as a source, even though the timing is off. It apparently comes from Dutch; compare Middle Dutch fijnkens (adv.) "precisely, exactly," from fijn, cognate with English fine (adj.).ETD finicky (adj.).2
The -k- between the final -c- and a suffix beginning in -i, -y, or -e is an orthographic rule to mark the pronunciation of -c- as "k" (compare picnicking, trafficking, panicky, shellacked). Related: Finickiness.ETD finicky (adj.).3
1530s, "action of bringing to completion," verbal noun from finish (v.). From 1660s as "that which gives a completion to." Finishing-school is from 1804.ETD finishing (n.).2
1779, "that which finishes or gives completion," from finish (v.). Meaning "the end" is from 1790. Finish line attested from 1873.ETD finish (n.).2
c. 1300, "consummate, perfect in form or quality," past-participle adjective from finish (v.). From mid-14c. as "beautiful, attractive;" 1540s as "refined, choice, elegant;" 1560s as "minutely precise or exact." Meaning "thin in consistency" is from c. 1400. From 1580s as "brought to a conclusion." Of made things, "completed," 1833.ETD finished (adj.).2
late 14c., "to bring to an end;" mid-15c., "to come to an end" (intransitive), from Old French finiss-, present participle stem of fenir "stop, finish, come to an end; die" (13c.), from Latin finire "to limit, set bounds; put an end to; come to an end," from finis "that which divides, a boundary, border," figuratively "a limit, an end, close, conclusion; an extremity, highest point; greatest degree," which is of unknown origin, perhaps related to figere "to fasten, fix" (see fix (v.)). Meaning "to kill, terminate the existence of" is from 1755.ETD finish (v.).2
early 15c., "limited in space or time, finite," from Latin finitum, past participle of finire "to limit, set bounds; come to an end" (see finish (v.)). Related: Finitely; finiteness.ETD finite (adj.).2
1670s, "an instance of finiteness," from French finité, from fini, past participle of finir "to bound," from Latin finire (see finite).ETD finity (n.).2
1640s, from finite + -ude (see -tude).ETD finitude (n.).2
1902, of uncertain origin, possibly from German Fink "a frivolous or dissolute person," originally "a finch" (see finch); the German word also had a sense of "informer" (compare stool pigeon). The other theory traces it to Pinks, short for Pinkerton agents, the private police force hired to break up the 1892 Homestead strike. As a verb, 1925 in American English slang. Related: Finked; finking.ETD fink (n.).2
"native or inhabitant of Finland; a member of the Finnic race," Old English finnas, from Old Norse finnr, the Norsemen's name for the Suomi. Some suggest a connection with fen. Attested in Tacitus as Fenni. Finlander in English is from 1727.ETD Finn (n.).2
1580s, from fin + -y (2).ETD finny (adj.).2
"of or pertaining to Finland or its inhabitants," c. 1790, from Finn + -ish. Earlier was Finnic (1660s as a noun, in reference to the language). Related: Finno-.ETD Finnish (adj.).2
fem. proper name, popularized, by Macpherson (1761). It is identical to a Scots Gaelic word for "wine" (and thus perhaps from the same source as vine), but it is sometimes said to be from Scots Gaelic fionn "white" also "fair" (of complexion or hair), from Old Irish find, from Proto-Celtic *windos "white," which would make it cognate with Welsh gwyn (as in Gwendolyn).ETD Fiona.2
alternative form of fjord (q.v.).ETD fiord (n.).2
1802, short for five penny; further contracted form fip attested by 1822.ETD fippeny.2
late 14c., from Old Norse fyri- "fir" or Old Danish fyr, both from Proto-Germanic *furkhon (source also of Old High German foraha, German Föhre "fir"), from PIE root *perkwu-, originally meaning "oak," also "oak forest," but never "wood" (source also of Sanskrit paraktah "the holy fig tree," Hindi pargai "the evergreen oak," Latin quercus "oak," Lombardic fereha "a kind of oak"). Old English had a cognate form in furhwudu "pine wood" (only in glosses, for Latin pinus), but the modern English word is more likely from Scandinavian and in Middle English fyrre glosses Latin abies "fir," which is of obscure origin.ETD fir (n.).2
According to Indo-Europeanists Gamkrelidze and Ivanov, "The semantics of the term clearly points to a connection between 'oak' and mountainous regions, which is the basis for the ancient European term applied to forested mountains" (such as Gothic fairgunni "mountainous region," Old English firgen "mountain forest," Middle High German Virgunt "mountain forest; Sudetes"). In the period 3300 B.C.E. to 400 B.C.E., conifers and birches gradually displaced oaks in northern European forests. "Hence it is no surprise that in the early history of the Germanic languages the ancient term for mountain oak and oak forest shifts to denote conifers and coniferous forests." [Thomas V. Gamkrelidze, Vjaceslav V. Ivanov, "Indo-European and the Indo-Europeans," Berlin, 1994]ETD fir (n.).3
1797, ancient supernatural people of Ireland (enemies of the Dannans); according to OED perhaps from Old Irish fir, plural of fear "man" + bolg, genitive plural of bolg "bag, belly" (from PIE *bhelgh- "to swell," extended form of root *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell"). Or the second element may be cognate with the Gaulish tribal name Belgae. Related: Firbolgian.ETD Firbolgs (n.).2
Old English fyr "fire, a fire," from Proto-Germanic *fūr- (source also of Old Saxon fiur, Old Frisian fiur, Old Norse fürr, Middle Dutch and Dutch vuur, Old High German fiur, German Feuer "fire"), from PIE *perjos, from root *paewr- "fire." Current spelling is attested as early as 1200, but did not fully displace Middle English fier (preserved in fiery) until c. 1600.ETD fire (n.).2
PIE apparently had two roots for fire: *paewr- and *egni- (source of Latin ignis). The former was "inanimate," referring to fire as a substance, and the latter was "animate," referring to it as a living force (compare water (n.1)).ETD fire (n.).3
English fire was applied to "ardent, burning" passions or feelings from mid-14c. Meaning "discharge of firearms, action of guns, etc." is from 1580s. To be on fire is from c. 1500 (in fire attested from c. 1400, as is on a flame "on fire"). To play with fire in the figurative sense "risk disaster, meddle carelessly or ignorantly with a dangerous matter" is by 1861, from the common warning to children. Phrase where's the fire?, said to one in an obvious hurry, is by 1917, American English.ETD fire (n.).4
Fire-bell is from 1620s; fire-alarm as a self-acting, mechanical device is from 1808 as a theoretical creation; practical versions began to appear in the early 1830s. Fire-escape (n.) is from 1788 (the original so-called was a sort of rope-ladder disguised as a small settee); fire-extinguisher is from 1826. A fire-bucket (1580s) carries water to a fire. Fire-house is from 1899; fire-hall from 1867, fire-station from 1828. Fire company "men for managing a fire-engine" is from 1744, American English. Fire brigade "firefighters organized in a body in a particular place" is from 1838. Fire department, usually a branch of local government, is from 1805. Fire-chief is from 1877; fire-ranger from 1887.ETD fire (n.).5
Symbolic fire and the sword is by c. 1600 (translating Latin flamma ferroque absumi); earlier yron and fyre (1560s), with suerd & flawme (mid-15c.), mid fure & mid here ("with fire and armed force"), c. 1200. Fire-breathing is from 1590s. To set the river on fire, "accomplish something surprising or remarkable" (usually with a negative and said of one considered foolish or incompetent) is by 1830, often with the name of a river, varying according to locality, but the original is set the Thames on fire (1796). The hypothetical feat was mentioned as the type of something impossibly difficult by 1720; it circulated as a theoretical possibility under some current models of chemistry c. 1792-95, which may have contributed to the rise of the expression.ETD fire (n.).6
c. 1200, furen, "arouse, inflame, excite" (a figurative use); literal sense of "set fire to" is attested from late 14c., from fire (n.). The Old English verb fyrian "to supply with fire" apparently did not survive into Middle English. Related: Fired; firing.ETD fire (v.).2
Meaning "expose to the effects of heat or fire" (of bricks, pottery, etc.) is from 1660s. Meaning "to discharge artillery or a firearm" (originally by application of fire) is from 1520s; extended sense of "to throw (as a missile)" is from 1580s. Fire away in the figurative sense of "go ahead" is from 1775.ETD fire (v.).3
The sense of "sack, dismiss from employment" is recorded by 1877 (with out; 1879 alone) in American English. This probably is a play on the two meanings of discharge (v.): "to dismiss from a position," and "to fire a gun," influenced by the earlier general sense "throw (someone) out" of some place (1871). To fire out "drive out by or as if by fire" (1520s) is in Shakespeare and Chapman. Fired up "angry" is from 1824 (to fire up "become angry" is from 1798).ETD fire (v.).4
1540s, "action of applying fire or setting on fire," verbal noun from fire (v.). From c. 1600 as "act of discharging firearms." Firing squad is attested from 1891 in reference to military executions; earlier as "those selected to fire over the grave of anyone interred with military honors" (1864); earlier in both senses is firing-party (1798 in reference to military executions; 1776 in reference to military funerals).ETD firing (n.).2
1796, from fire (n.) + ant. So called for their bite.ETD fire-ant (n.).2
also fire-arm, 1640s, from fire (n.) + arm (n.2). Anything which expels a missile by combustion of gunpowder (or a similar substance), from a pistol to a cannon. Related: Firearms.ETD firearm (n.).2
also fire-ball, 1550s, from fire (n.) + ball (n.1).ETD fireball (n.).2
also fire-bomb, 1895 (earlier as a type of fireworks and a type of cannonball), from fire (n.) + bomb (n.). As a verb, from 1950 as an act of vandalism or terrorism, from 1941 as a military aviation tactic. Related: Firebombed; firebombing.ETD firebomb (n.).2
also fire-brand, c. 1200, "piece of wood kindled at a fire, a piece of something burning," from fire (n.) + brand (n.). Used for spreading fire. Figurative sense of "one who kindles mischief or passions" is from late 14c.ETD firebrand (n.).2
also fire-bug, "arsonist, incendiary," 1869, from fire (n.) + bug (n.) in the "obsessed person" sense.ETD firebug (n.).2
also fire-cracker, "exploding paper cylinder," by 1821, American English coinage for what is in England a cracker (n.1), but the longer U.S. word distinguishes it from the word meaning "biscuit" (cracker (n.2)). See fire (n.) + agent noun from crack (v.). Attested in newspapers from August 1821 listing the cargo of the brig Clarion, arrived at Boston from Canton, which included "31 boxes fire-crackers."ETD firecracker (n.).2
"marsh gas," 1670s, from fire (n.) + damp (n.) "noxious vapor." Largely methane, it can spontaneously ignite when mixed with atmospheric air.ETD fire-damp (n.).2
1865, originally a device for making fire by the twirled stick method, from fire (n.) + drill (n.1). Meaning "rehearsal of what to do in a fire" is from 1884 (originally it also involved fighting the fire), from drill (n.) in the "agreed-upon procedure" sense (see drill (v.)).ETD fire-drill (n.).2
1670s, "juggler who appears to swallow fire as part of an act," from fire (n.) + eater. From 1804 as "person of irascible or recklessly defiant disposition;" especially in U.S. history in reference to vehement Southern partizans (1851). Perhaps due to the extended senses, fire-swallower began to be used for the original sense by 1883. Related: Fire-eating.ETD fire-eater (n.).2
1680s, "engine designed to throw a stream of water through a hose onto a fire for the purpose of extinguishing it," from fire (n.) + engine (n.). Also an early name for a steam engine (1722).ETD fire-engine (n.).2