flame

n. [ OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. flame, flambe, F. flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr. flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo. ] 1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. “In a flame of zeal severe.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Smit with the love of sister arts we came,
And met congenial, mingling flame with flame. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. Thackeray.

Syn. -- Blaze; brightness; ardor. See Blaze. [ 1913 Webster ]

Flame bridge, a bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5. --
Flame color, brilliant orange or yellow. B. Jonson. --
Flame engine, an early name for the gas engine. --
Flame manometer, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer. --
Flame reaction (Chem.), a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum. --
Flame tree (Bot.), a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Flamed p. pr. & vb. n. Flaming. ] [ OE. flamen, flaumben, F. flamber, OF. also, flamer. See Flame, n. ] 1. To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze. [ 1913 Webster ]

The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardor. [ 1913 Webster ]

He flamed with indignation. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the color of flame; of a bright orange yellow color. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a bright red perchlike fish (Apogon maculatus) found in tropical Atlantic coastal waters.
Syn. -- Apogon maculatus. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. 1. a plant of the genus Kniphofia having long grasslike leaves and tall scapes of red or yellow drooping flowers.
Syn. -- kniphofia, tritoma. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. plant of the Southwestern U. S. with fleshy roots and erect stems with narrow succulent leaves and one reddish-orange flower in each upper leaf axil. Its fleshy roots were once cooked by Indians. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Destitute of flame. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Flame + -let. ] A small flame. [ 1913 Webster ]

The flamelets gleamed and flickered. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Flammens L. Flamines [ L. ] (Rom. Antiq.) A priest devoted to the service of a particular god, from whom he received a distinguishing epithet. The most honored were those of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus, called respectively Flamen Dialis, Flamen Martialis, and Flamen Quirinalis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Affrights the flamens at their service quaint. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]