flamber

blaze, flare up

verb flahm-BEH Rare

Also means

to gamble recklessly (informal)

Usage Note

Flamber literally describes fire shooting up intensely, as in a building or a torch flaring. Colloquially, flamber means to spend money wildly or to gamble away large sums. The adjective flambant neuf (brand new) shares the same root, suggesting something fresh and bright.

Examples

"La maison a flambé en quelques minutes."

Natural Translation

The house went up in flames in a few minutes.

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