My first day at the busy restaurant was a real trial by fire.
trial by fire
idiomAny ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.
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.
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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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fire drill
Any pointless, unproductive, useless, or chaotic activity.