To pour fuel on the fire
Example: His rude words only poured fuel on the fire of their argument.
Definition
"To pour fuel on the fire" means to make a bad situation worse by adding more anger, tension, or trouble, often through words or actions that escalate conflict rather than calm it down.
Etymology
The phrase "to pour fuel on the fire" originates from the literal action of adding fuel to a fire, causing it to burn more intensely. Over time, it became a metaphor used in English to describe actions or words that intensify conflict or problems. Did you know this vivid image helps people understand how certain behaviors can worsen situations quickly?
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"To pour fuel on the fire" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
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