rekindle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to make a feeling, relationship, interest, or activity become active again

   Their visit to the old laboratory rekindled her interest in chemistry.

2. 2
   verb

   to light a fire again or cause something to resume burning

   He used dry twigs to rekindle the fire before sunrise.

Formed from re- ('again') + kindle. Kindle descends from Middle English kindlen and Old Norse kynda, 'to light a fire.' The literal meaning 'set alight again' readily produced the figurative sense of renewing emotions, relationships, hopes, debates, or interests.

Topics