pull out of the fire
To save from impending failure, destruction, or defeat.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He managed to pull the project out of the fire at the last minute.”
“The team was losing badly, but their captain scored twice to pull the game out of the fire.”
“With the company facing bankruptcy, the new director implemented drastic changes to pull the business out of the fire before it was too late.”
- 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