fireball

== English == === Etymology === The noun is derived from fire (noun) +‎ ball (noun). The adjective and verb are derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈfaɪəbɔːl/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈfaɪəɹˌbɔl/, /-ɑl/ Hyphenation: fi‧re‧ball === Noun === fireball (plural fireballs) A ball of fire, especially one associated with an explosion, or (fiction, mythology) thrown as a weapon. (figurative) (informal) A feisty, strong-willed person. (baseball) Synonym of fastball (“a high-speed pitch of a baseball”). (astronautics) A bright glow caused by a spacecraft re-entering an atmosphere. (astronomy) A meteor bright enough to cast shadows; a bolide. Synonym: bolis Coordinate terms: comet, meteorite (sailing) A class of sailing dinghy with a single trapeze and a symmetrical spinnaker, sailed by a crew of two. (weaponry, historical) A bag or ball filled with combustible material which is thrown as a weapon or to set something alight. (heraldry) A charge depicting a disc-shaped bombshell with flames emitted from the top, or sometimes from the top, bottom, and on either side. (obsolete) An emanation of St. Elmo's fire; also (later), of ball lightning. A ball-shaped firelighter (“small block of a flammable substance, typically a combination of sawdust and wax, used to light fires”). A ball of heat-resistant material placed in a fire to slow down the burning of the fuel. (figurative) A statement intended to cause dissension or as a provocation. ==== Derived terms ==== Earth-grazing fireball fireballer fireballing (adjective) ==== Related terms ==== ball of fire ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === fireball (not comparable) (slang) Excellent, terrific. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:excellent Antonyms: see Thesaurus:bad ==== Translations ==== === Verb === fireball (third-person singular simple present fireballs, present participle fireballing, simple past and past participle fireballed) (transitive, fiction, chiefly fantasy, science fiction) To attack (someone or something) with balls of fire. (intransitive) To explode in a ball of fire or flame. (figurative) To emerge suddenly; to explode. (baseball) To pitch a baseball very fast. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === fireball (dinghy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia meteoroid – fireball on Wikipedia.Wikipedia fireball (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia