Flare
/fleər/
Definitions
3 meaningsTo burn or blaze with a sudden, intense light; to become suddenly excited or angry.
/fleər/
To burn or shine brightly with a sudden intensity.
The fire flared up, consuming the dry leaves.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're lighting a campfire and the flames suddenly get really big and bright for a second. That's a flare! It's like something that suddenly shines or gets intense, like when your eyes *flare* with excitement or anger.
👶 For kids: When something suddenly gets really bright like a firework or when someone gets angry really quickly.
More Examples
His temper flared after the insult.
The brake lights flared as the car stopped abruptly.
How It's Used
"The match flared, briefly illuminating the darkness."
"The pilot flared the aircraft before landing."
A sudden, brief burst of bright flame or light; a widening outwards.
/fleər/
A sudden burst of flame or light.
The rescue team used a flare to signal their location.
💡 Simply: A flare is like a sudden, bright flash of light. Think about those emergency flares that you can use if you're in trouble. It can also describe the way something gets wider, like the bottom of a pair of pants!
👶 For kids: A bright light like a firework or a way to get wider like a dress.
More Examples
The dress had a stylish flare at the bottom.
Lens flare can sometimes ruin a photograph.
How It's Used
"The rescue team used a flare to signal their location."
"The photographer adjusted the lens to reduce flare from the sunlight."
To spread outwards, often like the brim of a hat or a skirt.
/fleər/
To spread outwards.
The skirt flared beautifully.
💡 Simply: Think of the bottom of a skirt that gets wider as it goes down. That's a flare! It's like something opening up and spreading out.
👶 For kids: When something spreads out and gets wider, like a skirt.
More Examples
The chimney flared upwards.
His nostrils flared as he smelled something delicious.
How It's Used
"The skirt flared gracefully as she danced."
"The artist flared the lines of the drawing to emphasize perspective."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
flare up
To suddenly become worse or more intense (e.g., a fire, a health condition, anger).
"The fire flared up again after the wind picked up."
flare (one's) nostrils
To show signs of anger, excitement, or suspicion by widening the nostrils.
"His nostrils flared when he realized he'd been tricked."
From Middle English flaren, probably related to Middle Dutch vlaeren ('to blaze').
The word 'flare' has been used since the 14th century, evolving from its association with sudden bursts of flame to encompassing a wider range of meanings.
Memory tip
Think of a sudden, bright light like a FLARE.