play with fire
To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You are playing with fire if you lie to your boss.”
“Investing all your savings in one risky company is playing with fire, and you could lose everything.”
“By ignoring the clear warnings from his advisors, the politician was playing with fire and risking his entire career.”
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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
child's play
Something particularly easy or simple.
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draw fire
To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.
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escape fire
An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.
- 07
feed the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
- 08
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).
Last updated August 10, 2026