ˈfire-brand
[f. fire n. + brand n.]
1. A piece of wood kindled at the fire.
| c 1205 Lay. 25608 Sloȝen [floȝen ?] of heore hæȝene swulc fur-burondes. c 1300 K. Alis. 6848 Theo kyng sygh a lem, so a fuyrbrond. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xiii. 57 A wikked man..kest a brynnand fyrebrand at oure Lord. 1591 Spenser Virg. Gnat 343 Tisiphone..doth shake..Her flaming fire brond. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1862) 296 As the Proverb is, he could have bit a Fire-brand, had it stood in his way. 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 6 Eyes which glowed like firebrands. 1828 Berry Encycl. Her. I, Fire-brand inflamed ppr., fire brands, borne in coat-armour, are generally represented raguly. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid i. 525 We..Pray thee the firebrand fell from the Trojan vessels to keep. |
† b. transf. One who is doomed or deserves to burn in hell; usually firebrand of hell. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 7421 Or he us made for noght els to dwelle In erth, bot to be fyre brandes in helle. 1551 Crowley Pleas. & Pain 270 Eternall fyre is redy for eche hell fyrebrande. 1560 Becon New Catech. Wks. 1844 II. 204, I was by nature..a very firebrand of hell. |
2. fig. One who, or a thing which, kindles strife or mischief, inflames the passions, etc.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. vii. 4 Thin herte be not ferd of the two tailes of these smokende fyr brondis. 1581 Savile Tactius' Hist. ii. lxxxvi. (1591) 104 This man..became a principall fire⁓brande of the warre. 1583 Exec. for Treason (1675) 16 Dr. Sanders the Popes firebrand in Ireland. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. (1702) I. 293 And so this firebrand of Priviledge inflamed the City at that time. 1690 Norris Beatitudes (1692) 67 Meer Firebrands in Society, that kindle and lay waste where-ever they come. 1791 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 278 These fierce republicans, even the very firebrands of the Jacobins. 1860 Motley Netherl. I. iv. 132 Not peace, but a firebrand..had the King held forth to his subjects. |
† 3. = brand-mark. Obs.
| 1675 Lond. Gaz. No. 1049/4 A speckled Mare..marked with a Fire-brand on the near shoulder. 1704 Ibid. No. 4037/8 A..Cart Gelding..a Firebrand on the near Shoulder. |
4. A local name for the redstart.
| 1890 in Gloucest. Gloss. |
5. attrib. firebrand-new (dial.) = brand-new.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 328 Umbidelve The rootes, and dryve ynne a firbronde pynne. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. ii. ii. 110 Our fire-brand Brother Paris burns vs all. 1882 W. Worc. Gloss., Fire-brand-new..quite new. |
Hence ˈfire-branded ppl. a., (a) = brand-marked (obs.); (b) furnished with fire-brands. ˈfire-brandism (nonce-wd.), the disposition or behaviour of a (social) fire-brand.
| 1673 Lond. Gaz. No. 764/4 The Gelding is brown..the Letter R firebranded on the farther buttock. 1818 Keats Endym. iii. 7 Who..will see unpack'd Fire-branded foxes to sear up and singe Our gold and ripe-ear'd hopes. 1887 Sat. Rev. 5 Nov. 643 Firebrandism of this kind is..an act either of unpardonable folly or..wickedness. |