Word: flare Part of Speech: verb Etymology: Origin uncertain, first recorded in the mid 16th century, probably related to Latin flagrō (“to burn”). Norwegian flara (“to blaze; to flaunt in gaudy attire”) has a similar meaning, but the English word predates it. Possibly related to Middle High German vlederen (“to flutter”), represented by modern German flattern. The noun is derived from the verb. Pronunciation: /flɛə̯/, /flɛɚ̯/, /fleː/, /fleə/, /fliə/ 1. To cause to burn; in particular, to burn off excess gas. Labels: transitive Example: Qatar joined the World Bank's Global Gas Flaring Reduction programme in early 2008, indicating its commitment to reducing the process of flaring the gas found with oil deposits. Example: One time I was working with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) on fueling their fleet, and I was surprised to see them flaring the methane at their wastewater facility. 2. To cause inflammation; to inflame. Labels: transitive Example: Trying to draw a breath flared the pressure on his chest into searing agony. Example: Adequate rest is incorporated into upper extremity training program so as not to flare the joint. 3. To open outward in shape. Labels: ambitransitive Example: The cat flared its nostrils while sniffing at the air. (transitive) Example: The cat’s nostrils flared when it sniffed at the air. (intransitive) 4. To (operate an aircraft to) transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing. Labels: ambitransitive Example: After a brief refueling stop in Fairbanks, Billy continued on to the cabin. As he flared the Huey [a helicopter] to land, he could see Moses running out of the cabin to greet him Example: I had one instructor that called and said he had tried everything to solo his student but the guy just couldn't get the picture of what was expected. One time around the airport the student would flare the airplane twenty feet in the air, and the next time around he would fly the nose into the ground. […] He either flared out very high, or didn't flare out at all. 5. To blaze brightly. Labels: intransitive Example: The blast furnace flared in the night. Example: Thou rear'st thy stately neck, / And, while I list, thou flarest in men's eyes / A gorgeous queen; […] 6. To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light. Labels: intransitive Example: The candle flared in a sudden draught. Example: The substance to which all common flames owe their brightness is finely-divided charcoal. […] Of this formation of charcoal the proof is obvious whenever a candle flares and smokes; for the unburnt charcoal soon collects in the upper part of the flame, and if not removed is apt to fall into the cup of the candle, where it forms a kind of second wick, rapidly melting away the tallow, and disfiguring the candle, […] 7. To shine out with gaudy colours; to be offensively bright or showy. Labels: figuratively, intransitive Example: [B]y a robe of white, the which ſhe weares, / With ribones pendant flaring bout her head, / I ſhalbe ſure to know her, […] Example: Wealth's golden key displayeth she, / And robes of state she weareth, / And the jewell'd star of high degree, / Fix'd at her bosom flareth. 8. To suddenly happen or intensify. Labels: figuratively, intransitive Example: The genius of the poet [John Keats] flares up, dies out, and flares again, as if there were a dearth of fuel to feed it; and by this fault, more than any other, he is removed out of the class of great poets, and occupies but the second rank. 9. To suddenly erupt in anger. Labels: figuratively, intransitive Example: [H]e flared up very much when I told him I could not give him the schedule. Example: One of the most heated periods occurred in 1965 when the Forest Service decided forest lands could no longer tolerate unrestricted grazing by livestock, especially hogs. […] Notice went out to local residents, and the following year, 1966, Forest Service personnel began trapping hogs grazing in trespass. Both hog owners and cattlemen were angry. Tempers flared, and so did the fires. The number of incendiary fires increased and it seems reasonable to assume some relationship between the two events. 10. To be exposed to too much light. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: […] I [Satan] cannot ſtay / Flaring in ſun-ſhine all the day: / For, entre nous, we helliſh ſprites, / Love more the freſco of the nights; […]