fier

See also: Fier, fiêr, and -fier

English

Pronunciation

See fire.

Noun

fier (plural fiers)

1. Archaic form of fire.
   • 1849, William Strachey, Richard Henry Major, The History of Travaile Into Virginia Britannia, page 92:

     They have also divers conjurations: one they made at what tyme they had taken Captain Smyth prisoner, to know, as they reported, if any more of his countrymen would arrive there, and what they intended; the manner of yt Captain Smyth observed to be as followeth : first, soe some as daie was shut in, they kindled a faire great fier in a lone howse, about which assembled seven priests, takinge Captain Smyth by the hand, and appointing him his seat; about the fier they made a kynd of enchanted circle of meale; that done, the chifest priest, attyred as is expressed, gravely began to sing and shake his rattle, solemly rownding and marching about the fier, the rest followed him silently untill his song was done, which they all shutt up with a groane.

   • 2000, Colin G. Calloway, Dawnland Encounters: Indians and Europeans in Northern New England, →ISBN:

     The salvadges perceiving so much, subtilely devised how they might put out the fier in the shallop, by which meanes they sawe they should be free from the danger of our men's pieces.

   • 2012, Rebecca Anne Goetz, The Baptism of Early Virginia: How Christianity Created Race, →ISBN, page 45:

     The men, “beinge att praiers,” heard odd noises and thought “they sawe one like an Indian leape over the fier.”

See also

• sci-fier (etymologically unrelated)

References

• The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition (1989). Oxford University Press. Vol. V. pp. 242-243.

Anagrams

• FIRE, Frie, fire, refi, reif, rief, rife