catch fire — to begin to burn, especially accidentally
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to begin to burn, especially accidentally
Pronunciation (IPA): /kætʃ ˈfaɪər/
Example Sentences
- My phone charger caught fire while I was sleeping - talk about a wake-up call!
- The forest caught fire due to the lightning strike last night.
- His TikTok dance caught fire and got 10 million views in a day.
catch fire
VERB[/kætʃ ˈfaɪər/]
to begin to burn, especially accidentally
Dry leaves catch fire the moment a spark lands on them.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Catch derives from Old Norman French 'cachier' (to hunt, chase), ultimately from Latin 'captiare' (to seize). Fire comes from Old English 'fyr', related to Proto-Germanic 'fuir'. The phrase 'catch fire' combines these two verbs to describe the moment when flames seize and ignite a combustible material, creating a vivid metaphor of fire physically grasping hold of an object.
Breakdown
catch (to seize, grasp) + fire (flames, combustion) = to grasp with flames, describing the moment when fire takes hold of and ignites a material.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My phone charger caught fire while I was sleeping - talk about a wake-up call!”
“The forest caught fire due to the lightning strike last night.”
“His TikTok dance caught fire and got 10 million views in a day.”
“Don't leave the candle near the curtains, or they might catch fire!”
“My diet plan caught fire the moment I saw a pizza commercial.”
📚Related Words
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