firewall

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See also: Firewall

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From fire +‎ wall. Compare West Frisian brânmuorre, Dutch brandmuur, German Brandmauer, Feuermauer, Swedish brandvägg, brandmur, Icelandic eldvegg. The verb sense for using maximum power or acceleration comes from the engine's firewall being the limit of forward movement of the throttle controls on many simpler vehicles; thus, to get the maximum engine output, one would push the throttle levers or pedal all the way to the firewall.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfaɪə.wɔəl/
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfaɪ.əˌwɔːl/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌwɔl/, /ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌwɑl/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Noun[edit]

firewall (plural firewalls)

  1. (architecture) A fireproof barrier used to prevent the spread of fire between or through buildings, structures, electrical substation transformers, or within an aircraft or vehicle.
    Coordinate terms: firestop, fire block
  2. (computer security) The software that monitors traffic in and out of a private network or a personal computer and allows or blocks such traffic depending on its perceived threat.
  3. (physics) A hypothetical phenomenon where an observer falling into a black hole encounters high-energy quanta at or near the event horizon.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

firewall (third-person singular simple present firewalls, present participle firewalling, simple past and past participle firewalled)

  1. (transitive, computer security) To protect with a firewall.
  2. (transitive, computer security) To block with a firewall.
  3. (intransitive, motor vehicles or aircraft, slang) To use maximum engine power or acceleration.

Further reading[edit]

Portuguese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English firewall.

Pronunciation[edit]

 
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /faj.ɾewˈɔl/ [faj.ɾewˈɔɫ]
    • (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /faj.ɾewˈɔ.li/

  • Hyphenation: fi‧re‧wall

Noun[edit]

firewall m or f (plural firewalls)

  1. (computer security) firewall (computer software that monitors traffic in a network)

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from English firewall.

Pronunciation[edit]

 
  • IPA(key): (everywhere but Argentina and Uruguay) /faʝeˈɾwol/ [fa.ʝeˈɾwol]
  • IPA(key): (Buenos Aires and environs) /faʃeˈɾwol/ [fa.ʃeˈɾwol]
  • IPA(key): (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay) /faʒeˈɾwol/ [fa.ʒeˈɾwol]

Noun[edit]

firewall m (plural firewalls)

  1. (computing) firewall
    Synonym: cortafuegos

Usage notes[edit]

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.