| ants, fire | Originally from S. America. Among the worst insect pests ever to invade the U.S. Red or yellowish ants of small-to-medium size with a severe sting that burns like fire. They normally feed on small insects but, with denser populations, they eat seeds and seedling plants, damage grain and vegetable crops, invade kitchens, attack newly hatched poultry and the young of ground-nesting wild birds. Fire ants can kill newborn domestic and wild animals. Each colony is composed of a queen, winged males and females and 3 kinds of workers. A nest averages about 25,000 workers, but far larger populations are common. Semipermanent nests are large mounds of excavated soil with openings for ventilation. Since nests may number 50-100 (or more) in a heavily infested field, cultivating becomes difficult (or impossible). Fire ants belong to the genus Solenopsis. Also called thief ants, a scourge, these red or yellow ants of small-to-medium size, originally from South America, have a severe sting that burns like fire and can trigger an allergic reaction. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| ash-fire | A low fire used in chemical operations. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Saint Anthony's fire | Synonym: ergotism. 2. Any of several inflammations or gangrenous conditions of the skin (e.g., erysipelas). Origin: St. Anthony, Egyptian monk, about 250-350 A.D. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fire | 1. The evolution of light and heat in the combustion of bodies; combustion; state of ignition. The form of fire exhibited in the combustion of gases in an ascending stream or current is called flame. Anciently, fire, air, earth, and water were regarded as the four elements of which all things are composed. 2. Fuel in a state of combustion, as on a hearth, or in stove or a furnace. 3. The burning of a house or town; a conflagration. 4. Anything which destroys or affects like fire. 5. Ardor of passion, whether love or hate; excessive warmth; consumingviolence of temper. "he had fire in his temper.Atterbury." 6. Liveliness of imagination or fancy; intellectual and moral enthusiasm; capacity for ardor and zeal. "And bless their critic with a poet's fire.Pope." 7. Splendor; brilliancy; luster; hence, a star. "Stars, hide your fires.Shak." "As in a zodiac" "representing the heavenly fires.Milton." 8. Torture by burning; severe trial or affliction. 9. The discharge of firearms; firing; as, the troops were exposed to a heavy fire. Blue fire, Red fire, Green fire, the process of softening or cracking the working face of a lode, to facilitate excavation, by exposing it to the action of fire; now generally superseded by the use of explosives. Fire ship, a vessel filled with combustibles, for setting fire to an enemy's ships. Fire shovel, a shovel for taking up coals of fire. Fire stink, the stench from decomposing iron pyrites, caused by the formation of sulphureted hydrogen. Fire surface, the surfaces of a steam boiler which are exposed to the direct heat of the fuel and the products of combustion; heating surface. Fire swab, a swab saturated with water, for cooling a gun in action and clearing away particles of powder, etc. Fire teaser, in England, the fireman of a steam emgine. Fire water, ardent spirits; so called by the American Indians. Fire worship, the worship of fire, which prevails chiefly in Persia, among the followers of Zoroaster, called Chebers, or Guebers, and among the Parsees of India. Greek fire. See Greek. On fire, burning; hence, ardent; passionate; eager; zealous. Running fire, the rapid discharge of firearms in succession by a line of troops. St. Anthony's fire, erysipelas; an eruptive fever which St. Anthony was supposed to cure miraculously. St. Elmo's fire. See Saint Elmo. To set on fire, to inflame; to kindle. To take fire, to begin to burn; to fly into a passion. Origin: OE. Fir, fyr, fur AS. Fr; akin to D. Vuur, OS. & OHG. Fiur, G. Feuer, Icel. Fri, frr, Gr, and perh. To L. Purus pure, E. Pure Cf. Empyrean, Pyre. 1. To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile. 2. To subject to intense heat; to bake; to burn in a kiln; as, to fire pottery. 3. To inflame; to irritate, as the passions; as, to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge. "Love had fired my mind." (Dryden) 4. To animate; to give life or spirit to; as, to fire the genius of a young man. 5. To feed or serve the fire of; as, to fire a boiler. 6. To light up as if by fire; to illuminate. "[The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines." (Shak) 7. To cause to explode; as, to fire a torpedo; to disharge; as, to fire a musket or cannon; to fire cannon balls, rockets, etc. 8. To drive by fire. "Till my bad angel fire my good one out." (Shak) 9. <veterinary> To cauterize. To fire up, to light up the fires of, as of an engine. Origin: Fired; Fring. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fire ants | Originally from S. America. Among the worst insect pests ever to invade the U.S. Red or yellowish ants of small-to-medium size with a severe sting that burns like fire. They normally feed on small insects but, with denser populations, they eat seeds and seedling plants, damage grain and vegetable crops, invade kitchens, attack newly hatched poultry and the young of ground-nesting wild b irds. Fire ants can kill newborn domestic and wild animals. Each colony is composed of a queen, winged males and females and 3 kinds of workers. A nest averages about 25,000 workers, but far larger populations are common. Semipermanent nests are large mounds of excavated soil with openings for ventilation. Since nests may number 50-100 (or more) in a heavily infested field, cultivating becomes difficult (or impossible). Fire ants belong to the genus Solenopsis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fire ant stings | A scourge, these red or yellow ants of small-to-medium size, originally from South America, have a severe sting that burns like fire. Their sting like that of bees, yellow jackets, hornets and wasps -- can trigger allergic reactions varying greatly in severity. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential. In selected cases, allergy injection therapy is highly effective. (The three A's of insect allergy are Adrenaline, Avoidance and Allergist.) (12 Dec 1998) |
| fire beetle | <zoology> A very brilliantly luminous beetle (Pyrophorus noctilucus), one of the elaters, found in Central and South America; called also cucujo. The name is also applied to other species. See Firefly. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fire extinguishing systems | Automatic or hand operated equipment used to control and extinguish fires. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antibody technology | <molecular biology> Techniques for the synthesis of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies for use in research, diagnostics and therapeutics. (09 Feb 1998) |
| assisted reproductive technology | Originally, a range of techniques for manipulating eggs and sperm in order to overcome infertility. Encompasses drug treatments to stimulate ovulation; surgical methods for removing eggs (e.g., laparoscopy and ultrasound-guided transvaginal aspiration) and for reimplanting embryos (e.g., zygot intrafallopian transfer (or ZIFT); in vitro and in vivo fertilization (e.g., artificial insemination and gamete intrafallopian transfer (or GIFT); ex utero and in utero foetal surgery; as well as laboratory regimes for freezing and screening sperm and embryos, and micromanipulating and cloning embryos. The field's first major success came in 1978 with the birth of "test-tube baby" Louise Brown, engineered by Steptoe, Edwards, et al., of England. As the technologies spread, they increasingly are being employed for purposes beyond infertility, i.e., to reduce the risk of, or avoid passing on, hereditary disease and to select for infant sex. Further uses that would aim at improving the "quality" of offspring have been widely discussed and raise profound legal and ethical questions. See: eugenics. (05 Mar 2000) |
| recombinant DNA technology | A series of procedures used to join together (recombine) DNA segments. A recombinant DNA molecule is constructed (recombined) from segments from 2 or more different DNA molecules. Under certain conditions, a recombinant DNA molecule can enter a cell and replicate there, autonomously (on its own) or after it has become integrated into a chromosome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| national centre for health care technology | A centre in the public health service which coordinates and administers a program of research, demonstrations, and evaluations of medical technologies and assessments of health care technology. (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA technology, recombinant | A series of procedures used to join together (recombine) DNA segments. A recombinant DNA molecule is constructed (recombined) from segments from 2 or more different DNA molecules. Under certain conditions, a recombinant DNA molecule can enter a cell and replicate there, autonomously (on its own) or after it has become integrated into a chromosome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| technology | <study> Industrial science; the science of systematic knowledge of the industrial arts, especially of the more important manufactures, as spinning, weaving, metallurgy, etc. Technology is not an independent science, having a set of doctrines of its own, but consists of applications of the principles established in the various physical sciences (chemistry, mechanics, mineralogy, etc) to manufacturing processes. Origin: Gr. An art; cf. Gr. Systematic treatment: cf. F. Technologie. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| technology assessment, biomedical | Evaluation of biomedical technology in relation to cost, efficacy, utilization, etc., and its future impact on social, ethical, and legal systems. (12 Dec 1998) |