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to enflame

to enflame

7.2
To make a part of the body red, swollen, or painful
  • verb
  • /ɪnˈfleɪm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : inflamar
  • The rash began to enflame after she applied the cream.

Examples

  • The infection could enflame the joint, causing severe pain and swelling.

  • Doctors warned that scratching the area could further enflame the rash.

  • Allergic reactions may enflame the skin, leading to redness and discomfort.

  • He enflamed the wound by scratching it.

  • The spicy food caused her cheeks to enflame and turned them bright red.

  • After he accidentally touched the hot stove, his fingers began to enflame with pain and redness.

  • The allergic reaction made my skin enflame, leading to noticeable swelling and discomfort.

Synonyms

to irritate
vsto enflame
17 3.4

Make a part of the body sore and uncomfortable, often causing redness or itching

focuses specifically on clear inflammation with redness, swelling, and pain
to inflame
vsto enflame
  • Specialized
13 5.3

To make part of the body red, swollen, and painful

has identical meaning but appears in a prefixed spelling form

Antonyms

256 1.0

To make or become less warm

How Inflamed

to enflame
  • Specialized
7.2
to irritate
17 3.4
to redden
11 3.7

Surface Forms

enflame infinitive
enflamed past
enflamed past participle
enflaming present participle
enflames third person singular

Morphology

enflame = flame (semi-transparent) = en + flame

Formally 'en-' + 'flame' is clear, but the medical sense ('cause to become inflamed') is a metaphorical extension from burning and not a literal flame, so learners may not directly infer the specific medical meaning.

Etymology

Enflame comes from en- and flame 'fire'. Imagine a part of the body 'set on fire' inside, and that is why to enflame something is to make it red, swollen, and painful.