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firebrand. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
firebrand, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
firebrand in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From Middle English fyr-brand, furbrond, equivalent to fire + brand. Cognate with German Feuerbrand (“firebrand”).
Pronunciation
Noun
firebrand (plural firebrands)
- (figurative) An argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary; one who agitates against the status quo.
- Synonyms: radical, revolutionary, troublemaker
The member of the college's Communist League was a firebrand who would launch a sit-in or protest march at a moment's notice.
2011 February 22, Daniel J. Wakin, “Free Trove of Music Scores on Web Hits Sensitive Copyright Note”, in New York Times:At the same time, Mr. Irons said, it is important to separate “this very valiant and completely kosher and clean repository of public material, which we perfectly endorse, and this kind of firebrand ‘We want to show the publishers they’re wrong’ kind of attitude.”
2015 February 20, Jesse Jackson, “In the Ferguson era, Malcolm X’s courage in fighting racism inspires more than ever”, in The Guardian (London):Both Malcolm and King were firebrands. And both were disciplined organisers of people. Malcolm was able to channel the anger of a crowd into action, but then to ensure they did not descend into violence.
- A torch or other burning stick with a flame at one end.
The crowd cheered as a firebrand was tossed onto the huge pile of wood to start the traditional homecoming bonfire.
- 1807, François Rabelais, Mr. Ozell (John), Sir Thomas Urquhart, The Works of Francis Rabelais - Volume 2 - Page 182:
- he filled all their throats with it, so that those poor wretches were by it made to cough like foxes, crying, Ha, Pantagruel, how how thou addest greater heat to the firebrand that is in us.
1868, George Swinnock, Works - Volume 2 - Page 212:He that is inebriated with passion is unfit for any action; like Samson's foxes, he scattereth firebrands abroad, to the hurt of all that are near him.
Translations
argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary
- Bulgarian: подстрека́тел (bg) m (podstrekátel)
- Finnish: palopuhuja
- French: énergumène (fr) m or f, brandon (fr) m
- German: Aufrührer (de) m; Aufwiegler (de) m; Rädelsführer (de) m; Radikalinski m; Sponti m
- Hebrew: מחרחר m (mecharcher)
- Hungarian: bajkeverő (hu), felforgató (hu), lázító (hu)
- Polish: podżegacz (pl) m, podżegaczka f
- Russian: зачи́нщик (ru) m (začínščik), зачи́нщица (ru) f (začínščica), подстрека́тель (ru) m (podstrekátelʹ), подстрека́тельница (ru) f (podstrekátelʹnica), смутья́н (ru) m (smutʹján), смутья́нка (ru) f (smutʹjánka)
- Spanish: instigador (es) m, agitador (es) m
- Swedish: brandfackla (sv) c, fyrsticka c
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torch or other burning stick
- Arabic: شُعْلَة f (šuʕla)
- Armenian: խանձող (hy) (xanjoġ)
- Belarusian: галаўня́ f (halaŭnjá), галаве́шка f (halavjéška)
- Bulgarian: главня́ (bg) f (glavnjá)
- Catalan: brandó (ca) m
- Danish: fakkel (da) c
- Dutch: fakkel (nl) m or f
- Finnish: soihtu (fi)
- French: torche (fr) f, tison (fr) m, brandon (fr) m
- Friulian: stiç m
- Galician: facho (gl) m, fachuzo (gl) m, brandón m, chamizo m, guizo m, gavizo m
- Hebrew: אוּד (he) m (ud)
- Irish: aithinne m
- Old Irish: gorn
- Italian: tizzone (it) m, tizzo m
- Latin: torris m, titio m
- Maori: mōmotu, motumotu, mōunga, ngōngotu, ngotungotu, tōroherohe
- Middle English: brand
- Norwegian: fakkel (no) m
- Old English: brand m
- Polish: głownia (pl) f, żagiew (pl) f, pochodnia (pl) f
- Portuguese: brandão m, facho (pt) m, tocha (pt) f
- Russian: головня́ (ru) f (golovnjá), голове́шка (ru) f (golovéška), фа́кел (ru) m (fákel) (torch)
- Spanish: tea (es) f, tizón (es) m, teda f, (please verify) tuerre
- Swedish: brandfackla (sv) c, fyrsticka c
- Tagalog: agipo (tl), dupong (tl)
- Tarifit: tirjet f, asfeḍ m
- Telugu: కొరవి (te) (koravi)
- Ukrainian: головня́ f (holovnjá), голове́шка f (holovéška), ґалаґа́н m (galagán), недо́гарок m (nedóharok)
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