blaze

blaze¹ [bleız] n

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1¦(fire)¦

2¦(light/colour)¦

3 blaze of publicity/glory

4

5 what the blazes/who the blazes etc

6 like blazes

7

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[Sense: 1-6; Origin: Old English blAse 'torch']

[Sense: 7; Date: 1600-1700; : German; Origin: blas 'white mark']

1.) ¦(FIRE)¦

a) [C usually singular]

a big dangerous fire - used especially in news reports

→↑ablaze

▪ It took almost 100 firemen to bring the blaze under control.

fight/tackle/control a blaze

▪ Helicopters were used to help fight the blaze.

house/factory/barn etc blaze

▪ a huge chemical factory blaze

b) [singular]

a fire burning with strong bright flames

▪ I lit the fire and soon had a cheerful blaze going.

2.) ¦(LIGHT/COLOUR)¦ [singular]

very bright light or colour

→↑ablaze blaze of

▪ the blaze of light from the security lamps

▪ The garden is a blaze of colour at this time of year.

3.) blaze of publicity/glory

a lot of public attention or success and praise

▪ As soon as the trial was over, the blaze of publicity surrounding him vanished.

▪ She played the Canada tournament then retired, going out in a blaze of glory (=ending her career with a lot of success and praise) .

4.) [singular]

a sudden show of very strong emotion

▪ A blaze of anger flashed across his face.

5.) what the blazes/who the blazes etc

old-fashioned spoken used to emphasize a question when you are annoyed

▪ What the blazes is going on here?

6.) like blazes

old-fashioned spoken as fast, as much, or as strongly as possible

▪ We had to run like blazes.

7.) [C usually singular]

a white mark, especially one down the front of a horse's face

blaze ²

blaze² v

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1¦(fire)¦

2¦(light)¦

3¦(eyes)¦

4¦(gun)¦

5 blaze a trail

6 be blazed across/all over something

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[Sense: 1-4, 6; Date: 1200-1300; Origin: BLAZE¹1]

[Sense: 5; Date: 1700-1800; Origin: blaze [i]'mark showing a path to be followed, made by cutting a piece from a tree' (17-20 centuries); BLAZE¹7]

1.) ¦(FIRE)¦

to burn very brightly and strongly

→↑blazing

▪ The room was warm and cosy, with a fire blazing in the hearth.

2.) ¦(LIGHT)¦

to shine with a very bright light

▪ A huge truck was advancing towards us, its headlights blazing.

▪ The sun blazed down as we walked along the valley.

3.) ¦(EYES)¦ [usually in progressive]

literary if someone's eyes are blazing, their eyes are shining brightly because they are feeling a very strong emotion, usually anger

blaze with

▪ Linda leapt to her feet, her dark eyes blazing with anger.

4.) ¦(GUN)¦ also blaze away

if guns blaze, they fire bullets quickly and continuously

▪ An enemy plane roared overhead, its guns blazing.

5.) blaze a trail

to develop or do something new and important, or to do something important that no one has done before

▪ an innovative young company that has blazed a trail for others to follow

6.) be blazed across/all over sth

if something is blazed across a newspaper etc, it is written in a way that everyone will notice

▪ News of their divorce was blazed across all the tabloids.