fuel
//ˈfjuːəl//
Forms
- Plural
- fuels
- present (v1)
- fuel
- 3rd person singular
- fuels
Definitions
1.Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction.
- More than a mere source of Promethean sustenance to thwart the cold and cook one's meat, wood was quite simply mankind's first industrial and manufacturing fuel.
2.Substance that provides nourishment for a living organism; food.
- A little fuel to get down the mountain.
3.Something that stimulates, encourages or maintains an action.
- Money is the fuel for economy.
- His books were fuel for the revolution.
- Small arms ammunition is the fuel that keeps many of the world’s conflicts raging.
1.To exacerbate, to cause to grow or become greater.
2.To provide with fuel.
- "Well, we do need to keep some of it on hand, donchaknow. For fueling the cookfires and all that rot."
- The workings now employ ten twin-units, which are fuelled at Hornsey but return to Cambridge diesel depot for their weekly maintenance; [...].
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1714
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English fuayle, from Old French fouaille, feuaille (“firewood, kindling”), from feu (“fire”), from Late Latin focus (“fire”), from Latin focus (“hearth”), whence English focus.
Cognate with Spanish fuego (“fire”), and Portuguese fogo (“fire”).