blaze
UK[bleɪz]US[bleɪz]
n
A very bright, strong flame
n
A very bright display of light or colour
v
To burn or shine very brightly and strongly
v
To fire a gun rapidly and continuously
Etymology
The word 'blaze' originates from the Old English noun 'blæse', meaning 'torch' or 'bright flame'. It is related to other Germanic words like Old High German 'blas' (white spot, shining) and possibly to the Proto-Indo-European root bhel- meaning 'to shine, flash, burn'. The semantic journey is direct and vivid: from the literal concept of a bright, burning flame, the word's meaning expanded metaphorically to describe any intense, brilliant display, such as a blaze of colour or light. The verbal sense, 'to burn brightly', developed naturally from the noun, while the rapid gunfire sense likely evolved from the imagery of a sudden, fiery outburst.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. The core form 'blæse' functioned as a noun meaning 'torch, fire, flame'.
Examples
Firefighters worked through the night to control the blaze.
The garden was a blaze of colour in the summer.
The headlines blazed the news across the front page.