Meaning of fuel In English

• 0 a substance that is used to provide heat or power, usually by being burned:

  • Wood, coal, oil, petrol, and gas are all different kinds of fuel.

  • Plutonium is a fuel used to produce nuclear energy.

  • nuclear fuel

  • unleaded fuel

  • The new exhaust system, it is claimed, will lower fuel consumption.

  • Reports in today's newspapers have added fuel to the controversy (= made it worse).

• 1 to supply a system with a substance that can be burned to provide heat or power:

  • Our heating is fuelled by gas.

  • We have a gas-fuelled heating system.

  • petrol/hydrogen-fuelled cars

  • The rapid promotion of the director's son has itself fuelled resentment within the company.

  • The president's speech fuelled speculation that she is about to resign.

• 2 a substance such as oil or gas that is used to provide heat or power, usually by being burned

• 3 to provide power to something:

  • The heating system is fueled by natural gas.

• 4 a substance which is used to provide heat or power, usually by being burned:

  • oil, gas and other kinds of fuel

  • nuclear fuel

  • fossil fuels

  • fuel costs/prices Domestic fuel costs have risen sharply over the past few months.

  • The new exhaust system, it is claimed, will lower fuel consumption.

• 5 anything that keeps people's ideas or feelings active, or makes them stronger:

  • The news reports were designed to add fuel to the debate over interest rates.

• 6 to supply a system with a substance that can be burned to provide heat or power:

  • fuelled by sth Our heating system is fuelled by gas.

  • The company is working on the development of methane-fuelled vehicles.

• 7 to increase a feeling or a type of behaviour or make it stronger:

  • The rapid promotion of the director's son has itself fuelled resentment within the company.

  • The press release fuelled speculation that interest rates were about to rise.