befeuern
Translation
to fuel, to fire, to stoke, to spur on
Examples
Der Heizer befeuert den Ofen mit Kohle.
The stoker fuels the furnace with coal.
Der Applaus befeuerte den Künstler.
The applause spurred on the artist.
Die Gerüchte befeuerten die Debatte.
The rumors fueled the debate.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) ((with sth.)) to fuel sth. with sth. He fuels the oven with wood.
((sth.)) to fuel sth. (figurative) The rumors fueled the debate.
Similar Words
Synonyms: heizen, anheizen, anspornen; Antonyms: löschen, dämpfen
Etymology
Composed of the prefix 'be-' + 'Feuer' (fire) + the verbal suffix '-n'. It literally means 'to apply fire to'.
Memory Tips
Imagine adding 'Feuer' (fire) to something, whether it's a real fire in a stove or a metaphorical fire in a discussion.