fire-walking
Definition
- Noun (uncountable):
- A religious or ritualistic practice: "fire-walking" is the act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones, often performed as a test of faith, a rite of passage, or a spiritual discipline in various cultures and religions.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Fire-walking is a common ritual in some Hindu festivals. (The practice of walking on hot coals as a religious ceremony.)
- She participated in a fire-walking ceremony to demonstrate her courage. (She walked on hot stones as part of a traditional event.)
Advanced Usage
"fire-walking ceremony": a specific event or ritual involving the act of walking on fire.
- The fire-walking ceremony lasted for several hours, with participants chanting and dancing before the walk. (The ritual involved both preparatory activities and the actual walking on hot coals.)
"to undergo fire-walking": to experience or perform the act of fire-walking.
- He underwent fire-walking as a test of mental fortitude. (He performed the act to prove his strength of mind.)
Variants and Related Words
Fire-walker (n): a person who performs fire-walking.
- The fire-walker walked confidently across the glowing embers without injury. (The performer of the ritual moved safely over the hot coals.)
Fire-walking (adj): describing something related to the practice of walking on fire.
- The fire-walking tradition is ancient and deeply spiritual. (The tradition of walking on fire is old and has religious significance.)
Synonyms
- Coal-walking: a synonymous term for walking on hot coals, though less common.
- Ember-walking: another term for the same practice, emphasizing the hot embers.
Related Idioms
- "Walk through fire": an idiomatic expression meaning to endure great hardship or danger for someone or something.
- She would walk through fire for her family. (She would endure any difficulty for her loved ones.) Note: This idiom is not directly synonymous with "fire-walking" but shares the imagery of fire as a trial.