ablaze
adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L19960 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /əˈbleɪz/
adj
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English blaze English ablaze From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”).
- Burning fiercely; in a blaze; on fire.
“1791, The Bee, Volume 4, Short Chronicle of Events, 27 July, 1791, p. v, On entering the walls which surround the house, then all ablaze, a most dreadful conflict took place […]”
“The canoe, a dim shadowy thing, moves across the black water, / Bearing a torch ablaze at the prow.”
- Radiant with bright light and color.
“The Heav’ns are all a-blaze, the face of night Is cover’d with a sanguine dreadful light:”
“All ablaze with crimson and gold.”
- In a state of glowing excitement, ardent desire, or other strong emotion.
“c. 1680, uncredited translator, An Essay upon the Action of an Orator by Michel Le Faucheur, London: Nicholas Cox, pp. 184-185, And this Fire of your Eyes easily strikes those of your Auditors, who have theirs constantly fixt upon yours; and it must needs set them a-blaze too upon the same Resentment and Passion.”
“The young Cambridge democrats were all ablaze to assist Torrijos.”
adv
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English blaze English ablaze From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”).
- On fire; in a blaze.
“[…] with the spontaneous combustion the house smouldered ablaze.”
- Lit up brightly and with color, gleaming.
- In a state of glowing excitement or ardent desire.