CATCH FIRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does catch fire mean? 

• CATCH FIRE (verb)
  The verb CATCH FIRE has 1 sense:

1. start to burn or burst into flames

  Familiarity information: CATCH FIRE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CATCH FIRE (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Start to burn or burst into flames

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

catch fire; combust; conflagrate; erupt; ignite; take fire

Context example:

The oily rags combusted spontaneously

Hypernyms (to "catch fire" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Verb group:

burn; combust (cause to burn or combust)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "catch fire"):

blow out (erupt in an uncontrolled manner)

catch (start burning)

light up (start to burn with a bright flame)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

Most negative electrodes in current lithium-ion batteries are made of graphite, which has a high energy density, but when charged at high rates, tends to form spindly lithium metal fibres known as dendrites, which can create a short-circuit and cause the batteries to catch fire and possibly explode.

(New class of materials could be used to make batteries that charge faster, University of Cambridge)

When your ruler Mars joins this imposing group from February 16 until March 30, your career will catch fire again, like it did in late December at holiday time, only this time, it will burn even brighter.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)