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fire hose

fire hose

6 2.3
A large strong hose that firefighters use to carry water to put out fires
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪər hoʊz/
translation icon : manguera de incendios
  • The firefighters quickly unrolled the fire hose to douse the flames engulfing the building.

Activists are are frozen and battered with with fire hoses.

Examples

  • Get a fire hose up here.

  • The chief went back on deck, got a fire hose out, and began to play a stream on the vessel.

    Blog text (16)
  • Do you want me to get the fire hose?

  • I was using the fire hose.

  • The Marines are standing by with fire hoses.

  • Gallons have been pouring out of six fire hoses since at least 10 this morning.

    Blog text (17)
  • Stephanie and Matthew stood at the edge of the lawn, watching streams from the fire hoses arc through the air.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • She yanked it open and grabbed the heavy brass nozzle of a canvas fire hose.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • During the drill, they practiced using the fire hose to control simulated fires on the training ground.

  • With the fire hose connected to the hydrant, they were ready to tackle the blaze that threatened the forest.

Synonyms

hose
vsfire hose
183 1.0

A long flexible tube used to carry water

is stronger and larger, intended for high pressure water use by firefighters
rubber hose
vsfire hose
2 1.4

A flexible tube made of rubber that carries water or air

is a heavy duty, larger, and stronger version for firefighting water delivery
hosepipe
vsfire hose
  • UK
1 1.9

A long flexible tube used to carry water to a garden

is larger and stronger and built for firefighters to deliver high water flow

How Big

fire hose
6 2.3
hose
183 1.0
garden hose
13 1.5

Surface Forms

fire hose singular
fire hoses plural

Morphology

fire + hose

The phrase combines literal constituents—'hose' (a pipe that delivers a strong flow) and 'fire' (a blaze or firefighting context)—so learners can infer the idea of a powerful, continuous flow. However, the leap from a literal water/foam stream to an abstract stream of messages or complaints is a metaphorical extension, so the exact target (information/complaints) is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Fire hose is a large, strong hose firefighters unroll to send a powerful stream of water onto flames. So the name simply means 'a hose for fighting fires'.