inflame

Verb

inflame (third-person singular simple present inflames, present participle inflaming, simple past and past participle inflamed)

1. (transitive) To set (someone or something) on fire; to cause (someone or something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
   • [Jesus, you] art the eternal Orator, vvhich both outvvardlie talkeſt to mankinde by thy Goſpel, and invvardlie in our harts inflameſt thy light vvhich is true confeſſion, faith, and comfort in thee: […]1579, Iohn Auenar [i.e., Johann Habermann], “A Praier against Desperation”, in Thomas Rogers, transl., The Enimie of Securitie or A Dailie Exercise of Godly Meditations, […], [London], →OCLC, page 281
   • Novv keep your holy vvord, go meet the French, / And from his holineſſe vſe all your povver / To ſtop their marches 'fore vve are enflam'd: / Our diſcontented Counties doe reuolt: / Our people quarrell vvith obedience, / Svvearing allegiance, and the loue of ſoule / To ſtranger-bloud, to forren...c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   aflame, ignite, alight, conflagrate, fire, fire up, enkindle, light, light up, set ablaze

2. (broadly, transitive) To cause (something) to appear bright or red, as if on fire; to brighten, to redden.
   • I vvill my ſelf conduct thee on thy VVay, / VVhen next the Southing Sun inflames the Day; / VVhen the dry Herbage thirſts for Devvs in vain, / And Sheep, in Shades, avoid the parching Plain.1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 138...
   • Even now we see the redness of the torches / Inflame the night to the eastward, and the clarions / Gasp (?) to us on the wind's wave.a. 1823 (date written), Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Charles the First. A Fragment.”, in William Michael Rossetti, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley: […], revised edition, volume II...

   Synonyms:

   irritate

3. (broadly, transitive) To cause (the body or a body part) to feel abnormally or unusually hot; specifically (medicine), to cause inflammation, including abnormal heat, pain, redness, swelling, etc., in (the body or a body part).
   • to inflame the eyes by overwork
   • His lyver is al enflamed with drinkyng of hote wynes: […]1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan...

   Synonyms:

   irritate

4. (figuratively, transitive) To cause (someone, or their heart, mind, etc.) to feel strong desire or other feelings; to excite (someone) to great passion; specifically, to cause (someone) to feel anger or rage; to anger, to enrage, to incense.
   • You are not VVood, you are not Stones, but men: / And being men, hearing the VVill of Cæſar, / It vvill inflame you, it vvill make you mad; […]1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
   • Honour, Revenge, Contempt and Shame, / Did equally their breaſts enflame.1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “Canto III”, in Hudibras. The First Part. […], London: […] J. G. for Richard Marriot, […], →OCLC, page 87

   Synonyms:

   exasperate, irritate, affront, aggravate, anger, antagonize, awrath, burn up, cheese off, cross

   Antonyms:

   disinflame

5. (figuratively, transitive) To excite or intensify (a feeling, such as an appetite or passion), especially to an excessive or unnatural level.
   • to inflame desire
   • Yet ſome report, by caſualtie of riding, or like accident, his bodie in ſome ſort became imperfect. VVhich notvvithſtanding quenched not, but rather inflamed his daring courage, maliciously looking vpon the vertue and perfections of other mens minds and bodies.1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Later Tragicall History of the Georgians, Christians”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […]...

   Synonyms:

   aflame, arouse, kindle, provoke, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send

6. (figuratively, transitive) To cause (something intangible, such as a dispute or violence, or hunger or thirst) to become more serious or worse; to aggravate, to exacerbate.
   • They often drank of this stream, which had such a particular quality in it, that though it refreshed them for a time, it rather inflamed than quenched their thirst.1709 January 31 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Joseph Addison], “Thursday, January 21, 1708–09”, in The Tatler, number 123; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The...
   • A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes.1712 June 17 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, June 7, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 399; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume IV, New...
7. (figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To increase (the price or quantity of something).
   • [T]his new corporation of druggists had inflamed the bills of mortality, and puzzled the college of physicians with diseases, for which they neither knew a name or cure.1710 February 19 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Wednesday, February 9, 1709–10”, in The Tatler, number 131; republished in [Richard Steele]...
   • As you ſay, vve paſſengers are to be taxed to pay all theſe fineries. I have often ſeen a good ſideboard, or a marble chimney-piece, tho' not actually put in the bill, enflame a reckoning confoundedly.1773, [Oliver] Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer: Or, The Mistakes of a Night. A Comedy. […], London: […] F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 20
8. (intransitive) To burst into flames, to catch fire.
   • [A]s the Oile vvaſteth, and deſcendeth, ſo the Top of the Turret, by little and little, filleth vvith Aire; vvhich is cauſed by the Rarefaction of the Oile by the Heat. It vvere vvorthy the Obſeruation, to make a Hole, in the Top of the Turret, and to trie, vvhen the Oile is almoſt conſumed...1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “IV. Century. [Experiment in Consort, Touching the Continuance of Flame.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […]...
9. (broadly, intransitive) Of a person's body or body part: to feel abnormally or unusually hot; specifically (medicine), to be affected by inflammation.
   • [S]ometime the liuer of the Fox inflameth, and then it is not cured but by the vlcerous blood flovving to the skin, and that euill blood cauſeth the Alopecia, or falling avvay of the haire, for vvhich cauſe (as is already ſaid) a Foxes skin is little vvorth that is taken in the ſummer time.1607, Conradus Gesnerus [i.e., Conrad Gessner]; Edward Topsell, “Of the Fox [The Crvcigeran Foxe]”, in The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes. […], London: […] William Iaggard, →OCLC, page 224
10. (broadly, intransitive, obsolete) To become very hot.
    • The vvind vvas favourable a vvhile; but ere long becalmed, vvhereby the ayre inflam'd, and Sea gave a fierie reflection; […]1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “[Choul. Mangalor.]”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC...
11. (figuratively, intransitive) To feel strong desire or other feelings; to be passionate; specifically, to feel anger or rage.
    • I fled, but he [Death] purſu'd (though more, it ſeems, / Inflam'd vvith luſt then rage) and ſvvifter far, […]1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature...
    • [W]hen the ſeruants of the King had ſeene, / Their fell diſdaine, mixt vvith an enuious ſpleene, / Inflam'd; They queſtion'd hovv he durſt vvithſtand / The iuſt performance of the Kings Command: […]1621, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Sect[ion] 7. Meditatio sexta.”, in Hadassa: Or The History of Queene Ester: With Meditations thereupon, Diuine and Morall, London: […] Richard Moore, […], →OCLC, signature...