I spent all morning putting out fires for my coworker.
put out a fire
idiomTo address a problem, especially an unexpected one caused by the incompetence, negligence, or misconduct of another person.
The manager is constantly putting out fires caused by the new intern's mistakes.
Instead of focusing on long-term strategy, the director spends his entire day putting out fires created by the negligence of his subordinates.
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add fuel to the fire
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
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ball of fire
A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.
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catch fire
To become engulfed in flames, to combust.
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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.
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feed the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
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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).
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fight fires
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
Last updated April 17, 2026