verb
start to burn or burst into flames (Freq. 1)
-
Marsh gases ignited suddenly
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The oily rags combusted spontaneously
• Syn: ↑erupt, ↑ignite, ↑take fire, ↑combust, ↑conflagrate
• Derivationally related forms: ↑combustible (for: ↑combust), ↑combustive (for: ↑combust), ↑ignitible (for: ↑ignite), ↑ignitable (for: ↑ignite), ↑ignition (for: ↑ignite)
• Hypernyms: ↑change state, ↑turn
• Verb Frames:
-
Something ——s
* * *
IGNITE, catch light, burst into flames, go up in flames.
→ fire
* * *
phrasal1. : to become ignited
the barn roof is thought to have caught fire from flying sparks from a passing locomotive
2. : to become fired with enthusiasm
the poet caught fire from the philosopher's talk
3. : to increase greatly in scope, interest, or effectiveness
the movie really catches fire — Time
his imagination caught fire — Dorothy C. Fisher
* * *
catch fire
● catch
* * *
catch fire phrase
to start burning
The car overturned and caught fire.
Thesaurus: to burn, or to start a firesynonym
Main entry: fire
* * *
Ibecome ignited and burn
II
begin to burn
■ figurative become interesting or exciting
the show never caught fire
* * *
catch fire
1 or US catch on fire : to begin to burn
Newspaper catches fire [=ignites] easily.
Their house caught fire and burned to the ground.
Don't leave the towel on the stove. It could catch fire.
2 : to become very popular or effective
The idea failed to catch fire.
The singer hasn't caught fire in this country yet.
a new technology that has caught fire with the public
• • •
Main Entry: ↑catch
Useful english dictionary. 2012.