firebrand
noun
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The original firebrands were incendiary indeed; they were pieces of wood set burning at the fire, perhaps for use as a light or a weapon. English speakers started brandishing those literal firebrands as long ago as the 13th century. (Robinson Crusoe held one high as he rushed into a cave on his deserted island and saw by the light of the firebrand . . . lying on the ground a monstrous, frightful old he-goat.) But the burning embers of the wooden firebrand quickly sparked figurative uses for the term, too. By the early 14th century, firebrand was also being used for one doomed to burn in hell, and by 1382, English writers were using it for anyone who kindled mischief or inflamed passions.
Examples of firebrand in a Sentence
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
The conservative media firebrand's comments to Corriere della Sera about the tech billionaire whom Trump has tapped to co-lead the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) mark an escalation in a MAGA-world civil war over immigration as the president-elect prepares to begin his second term.
—April Rubin, Axios, 20 Jan. 2025
There was a moment of silence and a video showing Moore at his firebrand best, but the most moving tribute may have been delivered by Cortese.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2025
Former Trump adviser and right-wing firebrand Steve Bannon issued a blistering attack on tech moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg during an interview with NPR ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration Monday.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firebrand. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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firebrand
noun
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