Let’s finish off with some of that excellent cheese. 2. conclude by (doing) smth.: The long meeting finished off with a prayer. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase finish off something1. (of food) finish completely: The children have finished off all the fruit. 2. bring smth. to an end: I finally said we must finish off the war in Italy quickly. 3. totally destroy smth.: A long drive like that could finish the car off . finish with something—1. = finish off with something 1: We have some nice cake to finish with . 2. = finish off with something 2: I should like to finish with reminding members of the pur- pose of this club. 3. (of a period of time) come to an end (on a certain date): Please send your accounts for the period finish - ing with 31 March. 4. have no further use for smth.: Have you finished with the newspaper? finish school • leave school finish school —1. complete one’s school education: When he finished school he went to college in the United States. 2. finish classes for the day: When he finished school at noon, the taxi would first drop off the other kids and then Ahmad. leave school—1. = finish school 1: About a year after she left school , Doreen headed to Manitoba with her boyfriend. 2. leave the school building after dismissal: The kids went to school with their ski equipment and left school at noon for an afternoon of skiing. 3. drop out of school: He left school at about 14 to work in a grocery store but continued his edu- cation through night classes. fire department • fire office fire department—(U.S.) a fire brigade: You may establish a direct connection with the fire department , or the police and call them immediately. fire office—a fire-insurance company: An even more elusive foe of the fire office than petrol is “the cold-blooded fire-bug” who trades in arson. fire fight • firefighting fire fight—1. an exchange of fire between opposing units (as distinct from close combat): Three soldiers have been killed in a fire fight with separatist guerrillas. 2. the effort to extin- guish or to check the spread of a fire: Several firefighters were transported to the local hospital during the fire fight . firefighting — = fire fight 2: We want to be your number one stop for information on volunteer firefighting , training and legislation. fire-irons • firing-iron fire-irons—utensils for a fireplace (as tongs, poker, and shovel): The floor was spotless; the grate and fire-irons were burnished bright, and the fire burnt clear. Note: The compound does not correlate in meaning with the expression irons in the fire—(usually in the phrase “have many irons in the fire”) used of things requiring the attention at once: A few months ago I just had too many irons in the fire , and I hate that feeling. It was time to refocus some priorities… firing-iron—an iron used in cauterizing a horse: When the farrier has made his firing-iron red hot in his forge, he applies the thinnest part to the horses skin. fire line • line of fire fire line —1. a strip of cleared or ploughed land intended to check a forest fire: It became clear that the truck would survive once it outsped the fire line . 2. a police barrier around a build- ing on fire: It is the responsibility of the police department to keep unauthorized persons outside this fire line . line of fire—(also: firing line) 1. the path of a missile dis- charged from a firearm: Large dugouts were built … so that they were not directly in line of fire from enemy guns. 2. a position where one is likely to come under attack, receive pun- ishment, etc.: Modern art is the cause of much argument, so the writer has placed himself in the line of fire between the two sides. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase line of battle—(Military) a line formed by troops or ships for delivering or receiving an attack: The enemy were discov- ered drawn up in line of battle on the heights near Sharps- burg. fire ship • fireboat fire ship —(hist.) a ship carrying explosives sent among the enemy’s ships to set them on fire: In order to protect them against fire ships , stockades, raised on piles, were placed higher up the river. fireboat—1. a boat equipped with pumps for extinguishing fires on boats and piers: Her tenure as a fireboat served the maritime community proudly by responding to major fires in the harbor. 2. = fire ship: Navy flotillas conducted fireboat raids against invading enemy forces on the Potomac, and par- ticipated in the successful defense of Baltimore. fire someone • fire someone up fire someone—(often Passive) dismiss a person from a job: A police officer claims that he was fired because a Web site he operates criticizes the Police Department. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase burn someone—(sl., usually Passive) 1. reprimand a per- son severely: Having been burned for speaking my mind often enough, I leave you to your thoughts. 2. cheat or swindle smb. of his money: Just be careful, I was burned for one hundred dollars. I hope to see nobody else in this situation. fire someone up—make a person highly excited or enthusi- astic: Their passionate drive to bring about better lives for others have fired them up to achieve great things. first Americans • first-generation Americans first Americans—(also: Native Americans) North American Indians: Who knows whether the first Americans who came across the Bering Strait in pre-history were indeed the first. Cf.: First Nations—used with reference to Canadian Native Americans: All members of First Nations who are entitled to benefits are entered in the Indian Register. first-generation Americans —Americans of immigrant parent- age born in the United States: Galvone was a first generation American with his roots in Italy. first and last • first or last first and last—1. coming before anything else in order, rank, etc.: They say that exquisite painting is the first and last busi- ness of a painter. 2. in essence; for the most part: You are a scientist first and last . Your other activities are merely field tests of the work you do here. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase from first to last—from beginning to end; all along: A clever coach was able to advise them from first to last and the crew have improved steadily. first or last—is used to express indifference as to order: You may do it first or last ; I’m sure I don’t care as long as you do do it. first floor (UK) • first floor (U.S.) first floor (UK)—the floor immediately above the ground floor: Roos and Paul live on the first floor (that’s the second floor to us Americans). first floor (U.S.)—the ground floor (more or less on a level with the ground outside): The Museum Shop is on the first floor next to the entrance. finish school – 120 –