fuel

Universal Words noun, verb noun [U,C] any material that produces heat or power, usually when it is burnt: solid fuel (= wood, coal, etc.) * nuclear fuels * a car with high fuel consumption * Domestic fuel bills are set to rise again in the autumn. seealsoFOSSILFUEL IDIOMS see ADDv. verb (-ll-, AmE -l-) 1 [VN] to supply sth with material that can be burnt to produce heat or power: Uranium is used to fuel nuclear plants. * oil-fuelled power stations 2 ~ (sth) (up) to put petrol/gas into a vehicle: [VN] The helicopter was already fuelled (up) and ready to go. [also V] 3 [VN] (written) to increase sth; to make sth stronger: to fuel speculation / rumours / fears * Higher salaries helped to fuel inflation.