flares
flares — verb
- flarespresent simple I / you / we / they
- flareses3rd person singular
- flaresing-ing form
- flaresedpast simple
1. If a fire, flame, or burning object flares, it burns with a strong light that mo
If a fire, flame, or burning object flares, it burns with a strong light that moves or changes suddenly — growing brighter and then weaker, often because the fuel or air supply is not steady.
The campfire flared briefly when Théo added a handful of dry pine needles.
often + adverb: flare briefly / flare suddenly
A match flared in the darkness and then went out just as quickly.
The candle flared and nearly went out before settling into a steady glow.
Thick black smoke rose as the oil lamp flared and sputtered in the night breeze.
文法句型
flare (up)
用法筆記
Often combined with 'up': a flame flares up when it suddenly burns more brightly for a short time before dying down.
常見錯誤
2. To send out a sudden, bright flash of light for a very short time, then usually
To send out a sudden, bright flash of light for a very short time, then usually disappear or grow dim again.
A pair of headlights flared in the distance as a truck came around the bend.
subject (headlights) + flare + adverbial phrase
Lightning flared across the night sky, lighting up the whole field for a split second.
A camera flash flared in the crowd as the singer walked onto the stage.
The morning sun flared from behind a cloud, making the driver shield his eyes.
- fade
when light gradually becomes weaker
文法句型
flare (up)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (fire/flame), this sense is about any light source — natural or artificial — that shines brightly and briefly. Not used with 'up'.
3. To suddenly become very angry or upset, often in a way that is visible to other
To suddenly become very angry or upset, often in a way that is visible to other people through your words, expression, or actions.
Hoa flared at the suggestion that she had not done her fair share of the work.
flare at [someone/something]: target of anger after 'at'
Tempers flared during the meeting when the manager announced the budget cuts.
set phrase: tempers flare (plural subject, group anger)
Leo felt his anger flare as he read the unfair review of his work online.
Defne flared up when her younger brother borrowed her laptop without asking first.
- lose one's temper
more colloquial; means the same but is a verb phrase
- explode
stronger and more violent; suggests shouting or a big reaction
文法句型
flare (up)
flare at [someone]
用法筆記
Very common in the fixed phrase 'tempers flare(d)'. Can be used with 'up' ('flare up') to emphasize the suddenness. The target of anger is introduced by 'at'.
常見錯誤
4. To start happening or become much worse very quickly — used about violence, figh
To start happening or become much worse very quickly — used about violence, fighting, disease symptoms, or other negative situations that had been quiet or controlled.
Fighting flared up again in the border region after three months of peace.
phrasal: flare up for sudden intensification of conflict
Nkechi's eczema flares up every time she eats food that contains dairy products.
subject: medical condition + flare up + time trigger
The old conflict between the two families flared when no one could agree on the land boundary.
Christopher's back pain flares up whenever he sits at his desk for more than two hours.
Protests flared across several cities after the government announced the new law.
文法句型
flare up
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'up' ('flare up'). The subject is typically something negative: a disease, violence, conflict, pain, or unrest. Not used for positive events ('*celebration flared up').
常見錯誤
5. To become wider at the bottom or at one end — used especially for items of cloth
To become wider at the bottom or at one end — used especially for items of clothing, parts of the body like nostrils, or objects whose shape broadens outward.
The skirt flares at the knees, giving it a soft bell-like shape.
clothing: [garment] flares at [body part]
Bao's jeans flare slightly at the bottom, just like the style from the 1970s.
The horse's nostrils flared as it caught the scent of fresh water from a distance.
Amihan spun around on the dance floor and her dress flared out, catching the light.
- spread out
more general; can refer to any direction, not just outward at one end
- widen
simpler and broader; 'widen' can mean getting wider in all directions
文法句型
flare (out)
用法筆記
Can be used with 'out' ('flare out') for extra emphasis on the outward direction. Commonly used for fashion (skirts, trousers, sleeves) and animal/human anatomy (nostrils).
常見錯誤
flares — noun
1. A small object or bright flame that creates a strong light, used for signaling f
A small object or bright flame that creates a strong light, used for signaling for help, warning others, or seeing in the dark.
The stranded hikers lit a red flare to signal the rescue helicopter.
countable: a + [flare] for signaling
Each life raft on the ship carries a flare for emergencies at sea.
collocation: carry a flare
Police officers used a road flare to stop traffic after the crash.
A bright flare lit up the night sky above the stranded boat.
The climbers sent up a flare when they spotted the rescue plane approaching.
- signal light
more general term for any light used to communicate a message
- beacon
suggests a fixed or continuous signal, often on a tower or building
- distress signal
specifically for calling for help, may not involve a light
文法句型
a [flare]
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'light', 'send up', 'carry' or the compound 'road flare' and 'signal flare'.
常見錯誤
2. A sudden, powerful burst of energy and light released by the sun, which can disr
A sudden, powerful burst of energy and light released by the sun, which can disrupt communication systems on Earth.
A powerful solar flare can disrupt radio signals on Earth for several hours.
compound: solar flare + verb disrupt
Scientists at the observatory recorded a large solar flare early this morning.
collocation: record a solar flare
The satellite went offline during a strong solar flare on Tuesday.
Solar flares are often linked to dark areas called sunspots on the sun's surface.
- sun storm
informal term for any solar activity, not specific to flares
文法句型
solar [flare]
a [flare] on the sun
用法筆記
Almost always used with the modifier 'solar' to distinguish from other types of flare. The verb 'to flare' can describe the sun's activity, but 'solar flare' is the standard noun form.
常見錯誤
3. A sudden, strong expression of a feeling, especially anger, excitement, or jealo
A sudden, strong expression of a feeling, especially anger, excitement, or jealousy.
A sudden flare of anger made Hannah slam the door behind her.
pattern: a flare of + anger / excitement / jealousy
Emre felt a flare of excitement when his name was called for the prize.
A flare of jealousy rose in Elena's chest when her friend won the award.
Gabriel's careless comment caused a flare of frustration among the team members.
文法句型
a flare of + emotion noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or situation that triggers the emotion. The emotion named after 'of' is almost always an unpleasant feeling — anger, jealousy, frustration, irritation.
4. A period when the symptoms of a disease or long-term health condition suddenly r
A period when the symptoms of a disease or long-term health condition suddenly return or become much worse.
Stress at work can trigger a painful flare of Yuna's back problem.
pattern: trigger a flare of + condition
The doctor gave Zuri new medicine to control the flare of her joint pain.
collocation: control a flare
Cold winter air often brings on a flare of Mauricio's asthma.
Wren had a painful flare of her skin condition two weeks after stopping the medication.
Eating dairy products sometimes causes a flare of Anjali's stomach issues.
- remission
a period when symptoms disappear or become mild
文法句型
a [flare] of + disease/symptom
have/suffer a [flare]
用法筆記
Frequently used for chronic conditions such as arthritis, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune diseases. The verb 'flare up' and the compound noun 'flare-up' are more common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
5. A part of an object, such as a piece of clothing or a musical instrument, that b
A part of an object, such as a piece of clothing or a musical instrument, that becomes wider toward one end.
The skirt has a soft flare from the waist down to the hem.
pattern: has a flare from ... to ...
The guitar's body has a beautiful flare where the neck meets the soundbox.
Pim chose trousers with a slight flare at the bottom for the party.
The flare of the trumpet's bell helps project its sound across the room.
The architect gave the column a gentle flare at the top for a dramatic look.
- widening
more general; 'flare' suggests a gradual, smooth widening
- bell shape
describes the specific curve of a trumpet or similar flared object
- outward curve
focuses on the direction of the spread
- taper
a gradual narrowing toward one end
文法句型
a [flare] (in/at/of)
用法筆記
Describes a physical shape or design feature, not a movement. For describing movement that widens, the verb 'to flare' is used instead. Distinguish from sense 10 (FLARE PANTS) which refers specifically to a type of trouser.
常見錯誤
6. A red, swollen area on the skin that spreads outward from an injury, infection,
A red, swollen area on the skin that spreads outward from an injury, infection, or irritation.
The nurse cleaned the red flare around the cut on Rodrigo's arm with antiseptic.
pattern: a flare around + wound area
A hot flare of rash spread across Élise's skin after she touched the poisonous plant.
pattern: a flare of + skin condition
The doctor examined the painful flare on the patient's leg from an infected insect bite.
Cold cream helped reduce the angry flare on the child's scratched elbow.
- redness
simpler everyday term without the implication of outward spread
- inflammation
medical term for the body's response to injury, which includes redness and swelling
- rash
a general term for a red, irritated area on the skin
文法句型
a [flare] of + skin condition/infection
a [flare] on + body part
用法筆記
Common in medical contexts to describe the visible inflammation around a wound or infection. Less technical than 'erythema'. The skin flare may be warm to the touch and tender.
7. a patch of unwanted light that appears in a photograph or video when a strong li
a patch of unwanted light that appears in a photograph or video when a strong light source reflects off the surfaces of the camera lens.
A strong lens flare appeared across the photo when Marta pointed the camera toward the sun.
lens flare; appears when camera pointed toward bright light
Film editors sometimes add digital flares to give a scene a more dramatic look.
digital flares added in post-production
The photographer used a lens hood to reduce the flare caused by the stage lights.
In the wedding video, a green flare kept appearing at the edge of every shot.
- lens flare
the full technical name; 'flare' alone often implies this sense in photography contexts
用法筆記
The term is uncountable when describing the phenomenon in general ('this lens is prone to flare'), but countable when referring to individual patches of reflected light ('several flares appeared on the film').
常見錯誤
8. a quick pass in American football that sends the ball to a running back who is h
a quick pass in American football that sends the ball to a running back who is heading toward the sideline.
The quarterback threw a quick flare to the running back, who gained four yards before going out of bounds.
quarterback throws a flare to the running back near the sideline
Coach Kwon called a flare pass on third down to get the ball to a fast back in open space.
The defence read the play perfectly and intercepted the flare before it reached the receiver.
Lin caught the flare near the sideline and turned upfield for an extra five yards.
- flare pass
the more explicit form; 'flare' alone is understood among American football fans
用法筆記
A 'flare' or 'flare pass' is distinct from a 'screen pass' because the back catches the ball while already moving sideways toward the sideline, rather than waiting behind blockers.
常見錯誤
9. in the sport of baseball, a looping hit that travels softly and lands at a short
in the sport of baseball, a looping hit that travels softly and lands at a short distance in the outfield, usually between infield and outfield positions.
Okafor swung late and sent a soft flare into right field that dropped just in front of the outfielder.
soft flare dropped in front of the outfielder — describes trajectory
The shortstop tried to catch the flare but it fell just beyond his glove.
With two runners on base, the batter hit a flare that landed safely in shallow centre field.
The outfielder charged in quickly and made a diving catch on the short flare.
- bloop
informal term with the same meaning; 'flare' is more neutral in register
- bloop single
a flare that results in a base hit
- line drive
a hard, straight hit — the opposite of a weak looping flare
用法筆記
Often called a 'bloop' or 'bloop single' in informal baseball talk. A flare is not a line drive — it has a softer, looping trajectory.
常見錯誤
10. A style of trousers or pants that fit tightly at the waist and thighs and become
A style of trousers or pants that fit tightly at the waist and thighs and become gradually wider from the knee down to the bottom of the leg, often associated with retro fashion.
Flares became popular again in the 1990s after being a fashion staple in the 1970s.
subject = flares (trend), plural noun
The vintage shop near Jiwoo's flat had a whole rack of brightly coloured flares from the 1970s.
countable: a rack of flares — shopping context
Apinya's grandmother showed her a photo of herself in white flares from the seventies.
Chen bought a vintage pair of flares at the second-hand shop for only ten dollars.
- flared trousers
the full form; 'flares' is the common shortened version
- bell-bottoms
a similar style with an even wider leg opening from the knee; flares are generally less dramatic
- skinny jeans
tight-fitting trousers that are narrow all the way down — the opposite shape of flares
用法筆記
Often called 'flares' in British English. Always used in the plural form ('flares'), even when referring to a single garment. A single pair of trousers is 'some flares' or 'a pair of flares'.