open fire

verb

start firing a weapon (Freq. 1)

• Syn: ↑fire

• Derivationally related forms: ↑fire (for: ↑fire), ↑firing (for: ↑fire)

• Hypernyms: ↑blast, ↑shoot

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s

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Somebody ——s PP

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noun

1. : a fire (as in a fireplace) that is not wholly enclosed by a stove or furnace

2. : a fire in a forge in which combustion takes place on the top of the fuel

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open fire see under ↑open

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Main Entry: ↑fire

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open fire noun

An exposed fire on a domestic hearth

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Main Entry: ↑open

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open fire

To begin to shoot

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Main Entry: ↑open

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open fire phrase

to start shooting a gun

Troops opened fire on the crowd.

Thesaurus: to use a gun_hyponym

Main entry: open

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I

see open

II

begin to shoot a weapon

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open fire

: to begin shooting

A man opened fire in a crowded mall.

The soldiers opened fire on [=began shooting at] enemy troops.

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Main Entry: ↑open