Are you looking for some useful fire idioms to enhance your English conversation level?
If so, you have come to the right place.
In this post, we are going to take a look at 49 Fire Idioms and show you how to use them in a sentence.
Let’s begin…
49 Fire Idioms And Phrases (Meaning & Examples)
1. A Baptism Of Fire
- Meaning: To be challenged by a new experience where you have to deal with an unlikely or difficult situation.
- Example Sentence: Working with the new boss is like a baptism of fire.
2. A Burnt Child Dreads The Fire
- Meaning: When someone who has had a negative experience will go to any length to avoid making the same mistake or going through the same situation again.
- Example Sentence: Tommy won’t gamble anymore because, as they say, a burnt child dreads the fire. Frankly, I am proud of him for making this decision.
3. As Warm As Toast
- Meaning: To be comfortably warm.
- Example Sentence: The small apartment was as warm as toast due to the quaint little fireplace in the corner. I loved it!
4. Burning
- Meaning: To describe something that is very intense.
- Example Sentence: When seeing Julie walk in the room, James had an instant burning in his heart for her. It was at that moment that he realized he loved her.
5.Catch Fire
- Meaning: To be enjoyable, exciting or interesting.
- Example Sentence: The play didn’t catch fire until after the intermission. Unfortunately those who left beforehand missed out on a great show.
6. Ears Are Burning
- Meaning: To subconsciously realize you’re being talked about.
- Example Sentence: My ears were burning when I heard John and Andy talking about me from across the room. I didn’t know whether I should continue listening to the conversation or just walk away.
7. A Five-Alarm Fire
- Meaning: used to describe a person or thing that is very intense or stressful.
- Example Sentence: This new job has become a five-alarm fire with all the things that I am expected to do in a single day.
8. To Add Fuel To The Fire/Flames
- Meaning: to do something that makes an already bad situation worse
- Example Sentence: I told James he’d better not say anything to Luke or else he would just add fuel to the fire. Unfortunately he didn’t listen and it seemed that their relationship was ruined forever.
You may also enjoy reading: 26 Cool Idioms In Songs
9. Fire Away
- Meaning: Used to let someone know they can begin to ask questions.
- Example Sentence: The teacher said “fire away”, and we all began to bombard her with questions about the final exam.
10. Fired-Up
- Meaning: To be energized and enthusiastic.
- Example Sentence: My science teacher is always fired-up about how powerful the sun is.
11. To Get Along Like A House On Fire
- Meaning: Use to describe two people who enjoy each other’s company.
- Example Sentence: Tom and Judy get along like a house on fire.
12. Many Irons In The Fire
- Meaning: used to describe when someone has taken on too many projects, activities or opportunities.
- Example Sentence: Mary has too many irons in the fire. She is going to burn herself out if she doesn’t make a drastic change soon.
13. On Fire
- Meaning: To describe someone who is very excited, or is on a roll. Also used to describe a person who is performing really well or very enthusiastically.
- Example Sentence: Damon won 5 games in a row. He was on fire!
14. Out Of The Frying Pan Into The Fire
- Meaning: To go from one bad situation to another, usually worse situation.
- Example Sentence: I feel bad for Luke. It’s like he’s out of the frying pan, into the fire with the insurance deal he made.
15. Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It
- Meaning: An expression said to a person who needs to accept an unpleasant situation.
- Example Sentence: When Jeanie lost her job, all her grumpy grandfather could say was “put that in your pipe and smoke it!”
16. Smoke And Mirrors
- Meaning: Used to indicate someone is not telling the whole truth or is purposefully holding back some facts in order to make a circumstance not sound so bad.
- Example Sentence: When Amy wants to mislead her naive parents, she’ll just use smoke and mirrors.
17. To Blaze A Trail
- Meaning: To be the first person or thing to do something.
- Example Sentence: Mark was the trail-blazer for reading chapter books in his Kindergarten class. A few months into the school year, some of his classmates joined him and began reading chapter books as well.
18. To Breath Fire
- Meaning: Used to describe a person that is very angry.
- Example Sentence: Mr. Robinson was breathing fire throughout the entire math class.
19. To Burn A Hole In One’s Pocket
- Meaning: To have money that you would like to spend, not save.
- Example Sentence: Caleb is always burning a hole in his pocket. I don’t know where he gets all of his money from.
20. To Burn Bridges
- Meaning: To do something bad, in which another person, company or thing does not trust you, that you can not go back to your previous relationship.
- Example Sentence: I’ve burned so many bridges with Morris gas company, they will never trust me again.
Additional Reading: 11 Useful Bridge Idioms – Meaning & Examples
21. To Burn Oneself Out
- Meaning: to overwork oneself by doing too much work or taking on too much. To become exhausted.
- Example Sentence: I told Matt he needs to slow down, otherwise, he is going to burn himself out.
22. To Fire Someone Up
- Meaning: to cause someone to be more excited or more passionate about something.
- Example Sentence: He really knows how to fire up the crowd. After his speech, I think everyone can’t wait to get out there and start selling.
23. To Go Through Fire And Water
- Meaning: to face many challenges trying to do something or trying to accomplish something.
- Example Sentence: I feel like we had to go through fire and water just to get here, but it was totally worth it.
24. To Go Up In Flames/Smoke
- Meaning: to be destroyed by fire, It can also mean that something has failed or has come to an end.
- Example Sentence: My career could go up in smoke if I don’t get this report down in time.
25. To Have A Short Fuse
- Meaning: a person that becomes angry very easily, usually due to stress or being tired.
- Example Sentence: I don’t know if now is a good time to speak with your father. He has a short fuse today.
26. To Have Fire In One’s Belly
- Meaning: used to describe someone who is ready to do something with passion and determination.
- Example Sentence: I am confident he will do great. He has fire in his belly for this kind of thing.
27. To Light A Fire Under Someone
- Meaning: to motivate someone to take action.
- Example Sentence: Someone must have light a fire under Steve. He has really started to take his job seriously.
28. To Play With Fire
- Meaning: to do something that could cause a lot of problems or to do something risky.
- Example Sentence: He is just playing with fire if he thinks he can break the law. It is only a matter of time before he gets caught.
29.To Set The World On Fire
- Meaning: to do something that causes one to be recognized, famous or popular.
- Example Sentence: Just remember you don’t have to go out there and set the world on fire. You just need to go out there and do your best.
30. To Smoke Like A Chimney
- Meaning: to smoke continuously.
- Example Sentence: For as long as I can remember, Ray has always smoked like a chimney.
31. To Be Under Fire
- Meaning: to receive a lot of criticism.
- Example Sentence: The TV company came under fire for not responding quickly enough to the allegations.
32. To Be No Ball Of Fire
- Meaning: used to describe a person that lacks energy or enthusiasm.
- Example Sentence: Larry is no ball of fire. We will have to make sure he does his assignment.
33. To Be Between Two Fires
- Meaning: to be attacked from two sides.
- Example Sentence: When my coworkers joined in on the conversation between George and me, I felt like I was caught between two fires.
34. To Carry Fire In One Hand And Water In The Other
- Meaning: to deceive someone
- Example In A Sentence: I think Karen carries fire in one hand and water in the other because she says nice things to me, but she talks about me behind my back.
35. To Fire One’s Pistol In The Air
- Meaning: to avoid hurting someone during an argument.
- Example In A Sentence: I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so I usually try to avoid arguments. And when I am in a sort of confrontation, I usually fire my pistol in the air.
36. To Fire From The Hip
- Meaning: to speak or to say something without thinking of the potential consequences.
- Example In A Sentence: Carlos has a reputation for firing from the hip. One day that reputation is going to come back to bite him.
37. To Fire On All Cylinders
- Meaning: to work or operate at full strength.
- Example In A Sentence: The company is firing on all cylinders to complete all the orders before the New Year.
38. The Fat Hit The Fire
- Meaning: a point when a situation quickly worsens.
- Example In A Sentence: Everything was going well for the new company, but then suddenly the fat hit the fire and it went bankrupt.
39. To Pull Someone’s Bacon Out Of The Fire
- Meaning: to save someone from trouble even danger.
- Example In A Sentence: Jerry is the best lawyer in town. He has pulled my brother’s bacon out of the fire on more than one occasion.
40. To Keep The Home Fires Burning
- Meaning: to maintain one’s home especially when one’s mate is away.
- Example In A Sentence: My Aunt told me stories of how she kept the home fires burning while Uncle Tom was away on business.
41. To Hold One’s Fire
- Meaning: to stop firing a weapon or to stop criticizing another person.
- Example In A Sentence: They are about the surrender. Tell your men to hold their fire.
42. To Fire A Shot Across The Bow
- Meaning: to do something as a warning.
- Example In A Sentence: She fired a shot across the bow by telling him that she had enough of his bad attitude.
43. Chinese Fire Drill
- Meaning: a chaotic situation.
- Example In A Sentence: That business meeting quickly turned into a Chinese fire drill with people shouting over each other.
44. To Fight Fire With Fire
- Meaning: to use the same methods against your opponent that they are using on you.
- Example In A Sentence: He got tired of what they were saying on the TV that he decided he was going to fight fire with fire.
45. To Fire Question At Someone
- Meaning: to rapidly ask someone questions.
- Example In A Sentence: She started to fire questions at me the second I walked in the door.
46. To Hold One’s Feet To The Fire
- Meaning: to pressure someone to agree to do something.
- Example In A Sentence: They have been holding her feet to the fire to make the changes, but she doesn’t want to budge.
47. A Last Burst Of Fire
- Meaning: one last effort to make a change. Usually before a defeat or failure.
- Example In A Sentence: The team gave one last burst of fire to try to win the game, but it wasn’t enough.
48. Where’s The Fire?
- Meaning: another way to say, What’s the rush? Why are you in such a hurry?
- Example Sentence: Where’s the fire? Why are we in such a hurry?
49. Where There Is Smoke, There Is Fire
- Meaning: If people are saying bad things about a person, they usually have good reasons or there is at least some truth to the story.
- Example Sentence: What do you think about what the newspapers are saying about that politician? Well, you know the expression, if there is smoke, there is fire.
There you have it! 49 fire idioms. Which one is your favorite?
