fire on all cylinders
To operate as effectively as possible.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The team is firing on all cylinders today.”
“Your new marketing plan is firing on all cylinders.”
“After a slow start to the season, the players are finally firing on all cylinders and winning every game.”
“My brain is finally firing on all cylinders now that I have finished my second cup of coffee and started my morning tasks.”
“With the new management team in place and the supply chain fully restored, the company is once again firing on all cylinders.”
The expression originates in the mechanics of the internal combustion engine, describing a state in which each cylinder contributes its spark and stroke to the machine’s output. When an engine fires on all cylinders, it achieves its maximum intended power; when it does not, the resulting imbalance is merely a mechanical failure. The phrase transitioned from technical description to a general metaphor for peak efficiency, though the date of this shift and the individuals responsible for its popularisation remain unrecorded.
- 01
add fuel to the fire
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
- 02
ball of fire
A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.
- 03
catch fire
To become engulfed in flames, to combust.
- 04
draw fire
To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.
- 05
escape fire
An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.
- 06
feed the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
- 07
fight fire with fire
To respond to an attack with a similar or identical counter-attack (e.g. to respond to gunfire with reciprocal gunfire).
- 08
fight fires
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
Last updated August 10, 2026