flare🔊

A sudden bright light.

A source of brightly burning light or intense heat.

A type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light without an explosion, used to attract attention in an emergency, to illuminate an area, or as a decoy.

(oil industry) A flame produced by a burn-off of waste gas (flare gas) from a flare tower (or flare stack), typically at an oil refinery.

(figuratively) A sudden eruption or outbreak; a flare-up.

A widening of an object with an otherwise roughly constant width.

(nautical) The increase in width of most ship hulls with increasing height above the waterline.

(in plural) Bell-bottom trousers.

(aviation) The transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.

(baseball) A low fly ball that is hit in the region between the infielders and the outfielders.

(American football) A route run by the running back, releasing toward the sideline and then slightly arcing upfield looking for a short pass.

(photography) (lens flare)

An inflammation such as of tendons (tendonitis) or joints (osteoarthritis). +

A breakdance move of someone helicoptering his torso on alternating arms.

To cause to burn; in particular, to burn off excess gas.

To cause inflammation; to inflame.

To open outward in shape.

(aviation) To (operate an aircraft to) transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.

To blaze brightly.

To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light.

(figuratively) To shine out with gaudy colours; to be offensively bright or showy.

(figuratively) To suddenly happen or intensify.

(figuratively) To suddenly erupt in anger.

(obsolete) To be exposed to too much light.