fire-hose

A firefighter holds a fire-hose to put out a burning building.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hose used to convey water to extinguish fires: "fire-hose" refers to a high-pressure, flexible tube designed to deliver water or other fire-retardant substances from a water supply to a fire, typically used by firefighters.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The firefighters quickly unrolled the fire-hose to douse the burning building. (A hose used for firefighting.)
  • A damaged fire-hose can severely delay efforts to control a blaze. (The hose itself is essential equipment.)

Advanced Usage

• "to turn the fire-hose on someone": to direct a powerful stream of water from a fire-hose at a person, often used metaphorically to mean overwhelming someone with information or criticism.

  • During the press conference, the reporters turned the fire-hose of questions on the spokesperson. (They bombarded him with many questions.)

• "fire-hose approach": a method of delivering large amounts of information or training in a short period, often without time for reflection.

  • The company's onboarding program uses a fire-hose approach, overwhelming new hires with data on the first day. (An intensive, rapid-delivery method.)

Variants and Related Words

• Fire hose (n): the standard spelling (often two words) for the same equipment.

  • The fire hose was made of reinforced rubber to withstand high pressure. (Same meaning as "fire-hose".)

• Hose (n): a flexible tube for conveying liquids or gases.

  • A garden hose is much smaller and less durable than a fire-hose. (A general term for tubing.)

Synonyms

• Firefighting hose: a hose specifically designed for firefighting.
• Hose line: a length of hose used in firefighting operations.

Related Idioms

• "like a fire-hose": describing something that is forceful, continuous, or overwhelming.
  • The data streamed into the system like a fire-hose, flooding the servers. (A metaphor for rapid, powerful flow.)