combust

To burn; to catch fire.

Adjective

  1. Burnt.
  2. In close conjunction with the sun (so that its astrological influence is "burnt up"), sometimes specified to be within 8 degrees 30'.
    • Guianerius had a patient could make Latin verses when the moon was combust, otherwise illiterate. - , I.iii.1.3
    • Who can discern those planets that are oft Combust, and those stars of brightest magnitude that rise and set with the Sun, untill the opposite motion of their orbs bring them to such a place in the firmament, where they...

Origin

From Middle English combust (“burnt”), from Old French combust, from Latin combustus, the perfect passive participle of Latin combūrere (“to burn up”).

Forms

more combust most combust

Noun

  1. That which undergoes burning.

Verb

  1. To burn; to catch fire.
    • Brom swore after that he spoke only the truth, the truth that as he sat by my side praying for my soul, my body had combusted into flame, the fire rapidly engulfing my entire being. - 2014, Adelais Selwyn, Eadric,...

    Synonyms: go up burn combust forburn outburn torch

  2. To erupt with enthusiasm or boisterousness.
    • The audience combusts. - 2012, Oliver Burkeman, The Antidote, Happiness for People who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, →ISBN:

Forms

combusts combusting combusted

Synonyms

catch on fire catch fire combust conflagrate fire go up in flames go up in smoke ignite light spunk take fire

Antonyms

burn out flame out go out gutter splutter

Hypernyms

come into being happen

Hyponyms

deflagrate detonate burn up

Related

burn kindle

Derived

combustible combustion combustive combustor incombustible spontaneously combust