English

A wildfire

Noun

wildfire ‎(countable and uncountable, plural wildfires)

1. A rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area.
2. (historical) Greek fire, Byzantine fire.
3. A spreading disease of the skin, particularly erysipelas.
4. (figuratively) Something that acts quickly and uncontrollably.
   • 2015 January 18, Monty Munford, “What’s the point of carrying a mobile phone nowadays?”, in The Daily Telegraph:

     So, it appears a revolution has happened and a very unexpected one. Of course it was only a matter of time before it happened. With WiFi connectivity spreading faster than wildfire and a laptop or tablet in one’s bag, what’s the point of a mobile nowadays?

Quotations

• 1622, Thomas Dekker and Philip Massinger, The Virgin Martyr

  The.     Do not blow,

  The Furnace of a wrath thrice hot already;

  Ætna is in my brest, wildfire burns here,

  Which onely bloud must quench ...

• 1715, Floyer, Edward Baynard, Psychrolousia. Or, the History of Cold Bathing: Both Ancient and Modern

  Where are [...] the Aunts that do as much for their Nieces, and make them caper and sparkle like Wildfire?

• 1715, Francisco de Quevedo, The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo

  I slept very disturbedly, and had a quick high towring Pulse; had strange Flashes in my Blood, like Wild-fire, which I could perceive in my Face, Neck, Breast, and extream Parts.

Synonyms

• forest fire

Derived terms

• spread like wildfire

Translations

See also

• brushfire
• bushfire
• conflagration

References

• 1862, Martim de Albuquerque, Notes and Queries.
• “Greek Fire”, in (Please provide the title of the work), Classic Encyclopedia, 30 October 2006, retrieved 2008-12-23