flare
noun/fleə(r)/
/fler/
- [countable, usually singular] a bright but unsteady light or flame that does not last long
- The flare of the match lit up his face.
Extra Examples- Radiation comes from the sun during solar flares.
- There was a sudden flare as a fuel tank exploded.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- sudden
- bright
- …
- feel
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- [countable] a device that produces a bright flame, used especially as a signal; a flame produced in this way
- The ship sent up distress flares to attract the attention of the coastguard.
- A flare lit up the sky.
Extra Examples- They could see orange flares burning in the distance.
- The bomber dropped a flare to illuminate the target.
- If they did not see a green flare in ten minutes, they were to launch the attack.
- The flare to mark the start of the attack went up at 0440.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- distress
- signal
- see
- fire
- send
- …
- burn
- illuminate something
- light something
- …
- gun
- [countable] a shape that becomes gradually wider
- a skirt with a slight flare
- flares(British English also flared trousers)[plural] (informal) trousers that become very wide at the bottom of the legs
- a pair of flares
- [countable] a period during which a medical condition returns for a time
- Some soap products may trigger eczema flares.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘spread out one's hair’): of unknown origin. Current senses date from the 17th cent.
Check pronunciation:
flare