(1) A lighter. A thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemicals which ignite with friction.
(2) A thing for striking fire. The term was first used in 1831 for the modern type of friction match. One of its shortcomings is that you can use a match to start a fire but not to stop one. We're still working on that.
(3) A device used to start fires. Contains certain magical chemicals that form a blob on one end of a stick. Damn clever. Not as much fun as a lighter, and doesn't come in as many fascinating colors, but is smaller and lighter in weight, and has no moving parts. Not nearly as interesting as lightning, however, which is your goto device if you need to start a really big fire, but of course lightning is much harder to fit into a backpack.
Have anything worth adding? Then try sosayseff@gmail.com
Me? Recently set my socks on fire. While sleeping. Another hidden talent. Formerly hidden talent.
Etc...
so says eff: sporadic spurts of grade eff distraction
definitions: outdoor terms
fiyh: dave's little guide to ultralight backpacking stoves
boyb: dave's little guide to backpacks
snorpy bits: nibbling away at your sanity
last seen receding: missives from a certain mobile homer
noseyjoe: purposefully poking my proboscis into technicals