trial by fire
Any ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My first day at the busy restaurant was a real trial by fire.”
“The new manager faced a trial by fire when the entire computer system crashed on her first morning.”
“The young officer considered his first command during the heat of battle to be a true trial by fire that defined his entire career.”
- 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