[ad. L. conflagrātiōn-em, n. of action f. conflagrāre: see prec. Cf. F. conflagration (16th c. in Littré).]
† 1. The burning up of (anything) in a destructive fire; consumption by a blazing fire. Obs.
1555. Eden, Decades, 246. The tyme of theyr conflagration or consumyng by fyer.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xliv. 348. The day of Judgment, and Conflagration of the present world.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), IV. 320. The conflagration of the city of Magdeburg in the year 1631.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, III. 136. America … famous for the conflagration of towns.
fig. 1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 362. The … peril to Europe of the existence of such a centre of conflagration.
2. A great and destructive fire; the burning or blazing of a large extent or mass of combustible matter, e.g., of a town, a forest, etc. (With a and pl.)
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Conflagration, a general burning or consuming with fire.
1680. in Somers, Tracts, II. 86. The Burning of London … that dreadful Conflagration.
1727. Swift, What passed in Lond., Wks. III. I. 189. Judging, that in the general conflagration to be upon the water would be the safest place.
1836. Macgillivray, trans. Humboldt’s Trav., vii. 87. Conflagrations are often caused by the negligence of the wandering Indians.
1877. Dowden, Shaks. Primer, ii. 28. In that year a great conflagration took place at Stratford.
b. fig.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. 27/2. The universal Conflagration, that, from the inundation of the Swedes, covered the whole empire of Germany.
1724. Bp. Nicolson, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 448. IV. 335. We are now come into a general Conflagration.
† 3. transf. Severe inflammation, high fever. Obs.
1681. trans. Willis’ Rem. Med. Wks., Vocab., Conflagration, a … being in a flame, as in great feavers.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., VI. 233. That the Aliment be thin … for so the Conflagration of the bloud is lessened.
1823. Byron, Lett. to Moore, 2 April. I … caught a cold and inflammation, which menaced a conflagration.
