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1. The act of discharging a gun
   - discharge, firing off
    
2. The act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy
   - fire
    
3. The act of setting something on fire
   - ignition, lighting, kindling, inflammation
    
4. The termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart)
   - dismissal, dismission, discharge, liberation, release, sack, sacking, heave-ho [informal], chuck [Brit, informal], the axe [informal], severance, the boot [informal], the chop [Brit, informal]

1. Start firing a weapon
   - open fire
    
2. Cause to go off
   "fire a bullet"; "fire a gun";
   - discharge
    
3. (cooking) bake in a kiln so as to harden
   "fire pottery"
    
4. Terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
   "The boss fired his secretary today";
   - displace, give notice, can [N. Amer, informal], dismiss, give the axe [informal], send away, sack, force out, give the sack, terminate
    
5. Go off or discharge
   "The gun fired";
   - discharge, go off
    
6. Drive out or away by or as if by fire
   "The soldiers were fired"; "Surrender fires the cold scepticism"
    
7. Call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
   - arouse, elicit, enkindle [literary], kindle, evoke, raise, provoke
    
8. Destroy by fire
   - burn, burn down
    
9. Provide as a source of energy or heat
   "Oil fires the furnace";
   - fuel
    
10. (physiology) generate an electrical impulse
    "the neurons fired fast"
     
11. Become ignited
    "The furnace wouldn't fire";
    - flame up
     
12. Start or maintain a fire in
    "fire the furnace";
    - light, ignite

Derived forms: firings

Type of: attack, bake, blast, burning, chase away, combustion, conclusion, create, destroy, dispel, drive away, drive off, drive out, ending, furnish, generate, make, offer, onrush, onset, onslaught, provide, remove, render, ruin, run off, shoot, shooting, shot, supply, termination, turn back

Encyclopedia: Firing