# flame

/ˈfɫeɪm/ (US) · /flˈeɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flame
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. part of a fire

noun · CEFR B1

the bright, hot part of a fire that you can see.

For teachers: the visible, gaseous part of a fire produced by the combustion of fuel.

- The candle flame danced in the breeze from the open window.
- The orange flames licked at the dry logs, quickly transforming the small spark into a roaring campfire that warmed the entire clearing.

### 2. strong emotion

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

a very strong feeling, like passion, anger, or excitement.

For teachers: an intense state of emotion, particularly passion, zeal, or burning anger.

- The flame of hope still burned in her heart despite the bad news.
- The speaker's words fanned the flame of rebellion among the crowd, turning their quiet frustration into active protest.

### 3. a romantic partner

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone you were in love with, usually for a short time.

For teachers: a romantic partner or lover, often in the context of a past or intense but brief relationship.

- He ran into an old flame at the wedding last weekend.
- Seeing his old flame after a decade brought back a flood of memories, though they both realised how much they had changed since university.

### 4. internet insult

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

an angry or insulting message sent to someone online.

For teachers: an aggressively insulting or abusive message posted in an online forum or social media thread.

- He decided not to reply to the flame he received on the message board.
- The moderator stepped in after a series of flames derailed the technical discussion and turned it into a personal argument.

Usage: Often used in the context of 'flame wars' where users trade insults back and forth.

### 5. to burn

verb · CEFR B2

to burn brightly with flames.

For teachers: to produce flames or to burn with a steady blaze.

- The dry wood began to flame as soon as the match touched it.
- The bonfire flamed up suddenly when the dry brush caught, casting long shadows across the dark garden.

### 6. to insult online

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to send angry or rude messages to someone on the internet.

For teachers: to post abusive or insulting messages to a person or group in an online environment.

- The gamer was flamed by his teammates for making a silly mistake.
- The journalist was flamed on social media by thousands of users who disagreed with her controversial opinion piece.

Usage: Usually transitive, taking the person being insulted as the direct object.

### 7. bright orange-red

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

having a bright reddish-orange colour like fire.

For teachers: of a brilliant reddish orange-gold colour resembling that of a fire.

- She wore a flame red dress that stood out in the crowd.
- The autumn leaves turned a brilliant flame orange, creating a stunning contrast against the grey October sky.

## Examples

- The candle flame flickers in the breeze.
- The campers sat around the fire, watching the orange flames dance as the wood crackled.
- While the blue core of the flame indicates the highest temperature, the outer yellow layers are often more visible due to the presence of glowing soot particles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.