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Definition of fuel verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fuel

verb
 
/ˈfjuːəl/
 
/ˈfjuːəl/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they fuel
 
/ˈfjuːəl/
 
/ˈfjuːəl/
he / she / it fuels
 
/ˈfjuːəlz/
 
/ˈfjuːəlz/
past simple fuelled
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
past participle fuelled
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
(US English) past simple fueled
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
(US English) past participle fueled
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
 
/ˈfjuːəld/
-ing form fuelling
 
/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/
 
/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/
(US English) -ing form fueling
 
/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/
 
/ˈfjuːəlɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. [transitive] fuel something to supply something with material that can be burnt to produce heat or power
    • Uranium is used to fuel nuclear plants.
    • oil-fuelled power stations
    • Most electric plants in California are fuelled by natural gas.
  2. [transitive, intransitive] fuel (something) (up) to put petrol into a vehicle
    • The helicopter was already fuelled (up) and ready to go.
  3. [transitive] fuel something to increase something; to make something stronger synonym stoke
    • to fuel rumours/fears/suspicions
    • Yesterday's meeting is likely to fuel further speculation about a takeover.
    • Higher salaries helped to fuel inflation.
    Extra Examples
    • Crime is soaring fuelled by an influx of drugs.
    • His absence has fuelled rumours of a split within the party.
    • The consumer boom had been fuelled by a credit-led economy.
  4. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French fouaille, based on Latin focus ‘hearth’ (in late Latin ‘fire’).
See fuel in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee fuel in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
sufficiently
adverb
 
 
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