inflame
/in'fleim/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To cause inflammation in (a part of the body): To make a part of the body become red, swollen, hot, and often painful.
- To arouse or intensify strong feelings: To excite or stir up passionate emotions such as anger, hatred, or enthusiasm.
- To cause to start burning; to ignite: To set something on fire or cause it to begin burning.
Verb (intransitive):
- To become inflamed: To become red, swollen, and sore, typically due to infection or injury.
- To catch fire: To begin to burn.
Examples of Usage
- Verb (transitive - medical):
- The repetitive motion inflamed her joint.
- Allergens can inflame the nasal passages.
- Verb (transitive - emotional):
- His speech was designed to inflame the crowd's anger.
- The unfair verdict inflamed public opinion.
- Verb (transitive - literal fire):
- The spark inflamed the dry tinder.
- Verb (intransitive - medical):
- His throat inflamed after the surgery.
- Verb (intransitive - fire):
- The dry grass inflamed quickly in the summer heat.
Advanced Usage
- "to inflame passions": To make strong emotions, especially negative ones, more intense.
- The controversial article inflamed political passions across the country.
- "to inflame a situation": To make a difficult or tense situation worse.
- The harsh police response only inflamed the situation.
Variants and Related Words
- Inflammation (n): The condition of being inflamed, especially in a part of the body.
- The doctor diagnosed an inflammation of the tendon.
- Inflammatory (adj):
- Relating to or causing inflammation.
- She was prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug.
- Tending to arouse anger, hostility, or strong public feeling.
- He was accused of making inflammatory remarks.
Synonyms
- Provoke: To stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion).
- Incite: To encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).
- Agitate: To make someone troubled or nervous.
- Ignite: To catch fire or cause to catch fire; to arouse or inflame (an emotion or situation).
- Kindle: To start a fire; to arouse or inspire (an emotion).
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Inflame" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)
Related Idioms
- "Add fuel to the fire": (Similar in meaning to the emotional sense of 'inflame') To do or say something that makes a difficult situation worse or an argument more intense.
- Bringing up past mistakes just adds fuel to the fire.
Verb
- become inflamed; get sore
- His throat inflamed
- arouse or excite feelings and passions
- The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor
- The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world
- Wake old feelings of hatred
- cause to start burning
- The setting sun kindled the sky with oranges and reds
- catch fire
- The dried grass of the prairie kindled, spreading the flames for miles
- cause inflammation in
- The repetitive motion inflamed her joint