Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Blaze?

\Blaze\ (bl[=a]z), n. [OE. blase, AS. bl[ae]se, blase; akin to OHG. blass whitish, G. blass pale, MHG. blas torch, Icel. blys torch; perh. fr. the same root as E. blast. Cf. {Blast}, {Blush}, {Blink}.] 1. A stream of gas or vapor emitting light and heat in the process of combustion; a bright flame. ``To heaven the blaze uprolled.'' --Croly. 2. Intense, direct light accompanied with heat; as, to seek shelter from the blaze of the sun. O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon! --Milton. 3. A bursting out, or active display of any quality; an outburst; a brilliant display. ``Fierce blaze of riot.'' ``His blaze of wrath.'' --Shak. For what is glory but the blaze of fame? --Milton. 4. [Cf. D. bles; akin to E. blaze light.] A white spot on the forehead of a horse. 5. A spot made on trees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark. Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road. --Carlton. {In a blaze}, on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exasperated. {Like blazes}, furiously; rapidly. [Low] ``The horses did along like blazes tear.'' --Poem in Essex dialect. Note: In low language in the U. S., blazes is frequently used of something extreme or excessive, especially of something very bad; as, blue as blazes. --Neal. Syn: {Blaze}, {Flame}. Usage: A blaze and a flame are both produced by burning gas. In blaze the idea of light rapidly evolved is prominent, with or without heat; as, the blaze of the sun or of a meteor. Flame includes a stronger notion of heat; as, he perished in the flames.
\Blaze\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Blazed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Blazing}.] 1. To shine with flame; to glow with flame; as, the fire blazes. 2. To send forth or reflect glowing or brilliant light; to show a blaze. And far and wide the icy summit blazed. --Wordsworth. 3. To be resplendent. --Macaulay. {To blaze away}, to discharge a firearm, or to continue firing; -- said esp. of a number of persons, as a line of soldiers. Also used (fig.) of speech or action. [Colloq.]
\Blaze\, v. t. 1. To mark (a tree) by chipping off a piece of the bark. I found my way by the blazed trees. --Hoffman. 2. To designate by blazing; to mark out, as by blazed trees; as, to blaze a line or path. Champollion died in 1832, having done little more than blaze out the road to be traveled by others. --Nott.
\Blaze\, v. t. [OE. blasen to blow; perh. confused with blast and blaze a flame, OE. blase. Cf. {Blaze}, v. i., and see {Blast}.] 1. To make public far and wide; to make known; to render conspicuous. On charitable lists he blazed his name. --Pollok. To blaze those virtues which the good would hide. --Pope. 2. (Her.) To blazon. [Obs.] --Peacham.