fire up

To make someone feel excited, energetic, or eager to do something.

• The music fired up the crowd.
• Her speech really fired me up.
• Are you fired up for tomorrow’s match?

How to use it: fire someone up (The coach’s speech fired us up.); be fired up for something (The players are fired up for the final.)

Similar words: excite, energize, motivate

Opposites: discourage

Common phrases: fire up someone, fire up the crowd

To light a fire in a grill, stove, or similar piece of equipment.

• Let’s fire up the grill.
• He fired up the stove to cook dinner.
• Have you fired the barbecue up yet?

How to use it: fire something up (We fired the barbecue up before the guests arrived.)

Similar words: light, ignite

Opposites: extinguish

Common phrases: fire up the grill, fire up a stove

To make an engine begin running, or to begin running as an engine.

• The engine fired up at once.
• We fired up the generator during the storm.
• Will this old motor fire up?

How to use it: fire something up (She fired the engine up and drove away.)

Similar words: start, start up

Opposites: stop, shut down

Common phrases: fire up an engine, fire up a generator

To open a computer program so you can use it.

• Fire up your browser.
• She fired up the app to check the weather.
• I’ll fire up a text editor and fix the file.

How to use it: fire something up (Fire your browser up and visit our website.)

Similar words: open, launch, run

Opposites: close

Common phrases: fire up a browser, fire up an app