- [countable, uncountable]
a hot bright stream of burning gas that comes from something that is on fire 火焰；火舌 
the tiny yellow flame of a match 火柴小小的黄色火焰 The room was filled with smoke and flames. 房间里充满了烟雾和火焰。 to douse/extinguish the flames 熄灭火焰 - in flames
The building was in flames (= was burning). 大楼失火了。 The plane burst into flame(s) (= suddenly began burning strongly). 飞机突然起了大火。 Everything went up in flames (= was destroyed by fire). 一切都毁于大火。 Heat the olive oil over a moderate flame (= on a gas cooker/stove). 用中火加热橄榄油。 The curtains were enveloped in a sheet of flame. 窗帘被火焰吞没。 - (British English)
Never smoke or use spray paint near a naked flame. 在明火附近千万不要吸烟或使用喷漆。 - (North American English)
an open flame 明火
Extra ExamplesThe flames were growing higher and higher. 熊熊火焰越来越高。 Firefighters have been trying to control the flames. 消防队员一直在奋力控制火势。 Flames leaped from the burning house. 火焰从燃烧的房子蹿上去。 Men came with buckets of water and began to douse the flames. 男人们提来一桶桶水灭火。 Orange flames were already licking around the foot of the stairs. 橙色的火焰已燃至楼梯底部。 Oxygen tanks fuelled the flames. 氧气罐助长了火势。 The candle flame flickered and went out. 烛火闪烁着，然后熄灭了。 The flames lit up the skyline. 火光照亮了天际线。 The flames quickly spread and engulfed their home. 大火迅速蔓延，吞没了他们的家园。 The plane crashed in a ball of flames. 飞机在一团火光中坠毁。 They tried to get into to the house but were beaten back by the flames. 他们试图进入房子，但被火焰击退了。 They watched the flames sweep through the old wooden barn. 他们眼睁睁看着大火吞噬了破旧的木谷仓。 Winds fanned the flames. 风助火势。 Max stared at the flickering flames of the bonfire. 马克斯盯着篝火闪烁的火焰。 pork cooked over an open flame 明火烤制的猪肉
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blazing
- burning
- crackling
- …
- be engulfed in
- go up in
- burst into
- …
- roar
- die down
- spread
- …
- in flames
- [uncountable]
a bright red or orange colour 鲜红色；橘红色；橙黄色 a flame-red car 橘红色的汽车
- [countable] (literary)
a very strong feeling 强烈的感情；激情 His childhood interest in the game had ignited a flame of passion for football. 他童年时对足球的兴趣点燃了他对这项运动的激情。
Extra ExamplesShe felt a flame of anger flicker and grow. 她感到心中升起一团怒火。 They tried to rekindle the flames of romance. 他们试图重燃爱火。
- [countable] (informal)
an angry or offensive message sent to somebody by email or on the internet, typically in quick response to another message 火药味电邮（或互联网信息）
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French flame (noun), flamer (verb), from Latin flamma ‘a flame’.