English Reference
Idiom idiom

where's the fire


What's the big rush?

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

“Slow down, where's the fire?”

CONTEXTUAL

“You are running through the hallway so fast; where's the fire?”

COMPLEX

“As he sprinted past me toward the exit, I called out to ask where's the fire.”


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    add fuel to the fire

    To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.

  2. 02

    ball of fire

    A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.

  3. 03

    catch fire

    To become engulfed in flames, to combust.

  4. 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.

  5. 05

    escape fire

    An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.

  6. 06

    feed the fire

    Synonym of add fuel to the fire.

  7. 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).

  8. 08

    fight fires

    To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.

Last updated August 10, 2026