- Brachychiton acerifolium
- Flame Flame (fl[=a]m), n. [OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF.
flame, flambe, F. flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr.
flagrare to burn. See {Flagrant}, and cf. {Flamneau},
{Flamingo}.]
1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat;
darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.
[1913 Webster]
2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. ``In a flame of zeal severe.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]
4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. --Thackeray.
Syn: Blaze; brightness; ardor. See {Blaze}. [1913 Webster]
{Flame bridge}, a bridge wall. See {Bridge}, n., 5.
{Flame color}, brilliant orange or yellow. --B. Jonson.
{Flame engine}, an early name for the gas engine.
{Flame manometer}, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See {Manometer}.
{Flame reaction} (Chem.), a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. {Spectrum analysis}, under {Spectrum}.
{Flame tree} (Bot.), a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the {Rhododendron arboreum} in India, and the {Brachychiton acerifolium} of Australia. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.