fire cloud
- noun
- /ˈfaɪər klaʊd/
:
nube de fuego
- The fire cloud rose high into the sky, carrying ash and debris from the raging forest fire.
Examples
-
After the explosion, a massive fire cloud engulfed the area, obscuring the sun and filling the air with smoke.
-
From this incredible fire cloud, the burned-out skeleton of an airplane emerges, falling toward Earth.
Fiction book (1997) -
As the building burned, the fire cloud expanded rapidly, creating a thick layer of smoke that could be seen miles away.
Synonyms
711
1.0
A cloud of tiny particles and gas made by burning something
102
1.0
A large group of small things moving together in the air
22
8.3
A large cloud of smoke and dust with a round top after an explosion
11
2.9
A visible cloud of fine dust hanging in the air
10
4.6
A large cloud that rises after a big explosion and looks like a mushroom
8
1.9
A large mass of smoke in the air from a fire
A large cloud shaped like a mushroom that rises after a powerful explosion
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a cloud of smoke and debris produced by a fire' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'fire' (burning process producing flame, heat, smoke) with 'cloud' (a mass of smoke or particles). This straightforward noun+noun composition follows common semantic patterns and is neither metaphorical nor idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Fire cloud comes from the literal image of fire and smoke making a thick cloud that rises after a big blaze or explosion. So, 'fire cloud' today means 'a large cloud of smoke and debris produced by a serious fire'.