Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Flame

Flame (flām) , noun

[Old English flame, flaume, flaumbe, Old French flame, flambe, French flamme, from Latin flamma, from flamma, from flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and compare Flamneau, Flamingo.]

1.
A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.
2.
Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger.
In a flame of zeal severe. — Milton
Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow. — Pope
Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame. — Pope
3.
Ardor of affection; the passion of love. — Coleridge
4.
A person beloved; a sweetheart. — Thackeray
Collocations (6)
Flame bridge , a bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5.
Flame color , brilliant orange or yellow. — B. Jonson
Flame engine , an early name for the gas engine.
Flame manometer , an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer.
Flame reaction (Chemistry) , a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Compare Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum.
Flame tree (Botany) , a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia.

Flame , intransitive verb

[Old English flamen, flaumben, French flamber, Old French also, flamer. See Flame, n.]

1.
To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze.
The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. — Shakespeare
2.
To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardor.
He flamed with indignation. — Macaulay

Flame , transitive verb

To kindle; to inflame; to excite.
And flamed with zeal of vengeance inwardly. — Spenser