A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase line of battle—(Military) a line formed by troops or ships
for delivering or receiving an attack: The enemy were discov-
ered drawn up in line of battle on the heights near Sharps-
burg.
fire ship • fireboat
fire ship —(hist.) a ship carrying explosives sent among the
enemy’s ships to set them on fire: In order to protect them
against fire ships, stockades, raised on piles, were placed higher
up the river.
fireboat—
1
. a boat equipped with pumps for extinguishing
fires on boats and piers: Her tenure as a fireboat served the
maritime community proudly by responding to major fires in
the harbor. 2. = fire ship: Navy flotillas conducted fireboat
raids against invading enemy forces on the Potomac, and par-
ticipated in the successful defense of Baltimore.
fire someone • fire someone up
fire someone —(often Passive) dismiss a person from a job: A
police officer claims that he was fired because a Web site he
operates criticizes the Police Department.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase burn someone—(sl., usually Passive)
1
. reprimand a per-
son severely: Having been burned for speaking my mind often
enough, I leave you to your thoughts. 2. cheat or swindle smb.
of his money: Just be careful, I was burned for one hundred
dollars. I hope to see nobody else in this situation.
fire someone up —make a person highly excited or enthusi-
astic: Their passionate drive to bring about better lives for
others have fired them up to achieve great things.
first Americans • first-generation Americans
first Americans —(also: Native Americans) North American
Indians: Who knows whether the first Americans who came
across the Bering Strait in pre-history were indeed the first.
Cf.: First Nations — used with reference to Canadian Native
Americans: All members of First Nations who are entitled to
benefits are entered in the Indian Register.
first-generation Americans —Americans of immigrant parent-
age born in the United States: Galvone was a first generation
American with his roots in Italy.