Olie op het vuur gooien
Example: Hij blijft olie op het vuur gooien tijdens het gesprek.
Definition
"Olie op het vuur gooien" is a Dutch expression meaning to worsen an already tense or difficult situation by adding more problems or provoking further conflict, as in the example, 'Hij blijft olie op het vuur gooien tijdens het gesprek,' meaning 'He keeps adding fuel to the fire during the conversation.'
Etymology
The phrase "olie op het vuur gooien" literally translates to 'throwing oil on the fire.' It originates from the idea that pouring oil on a fire causes it to flare up and become more intense, metaphorically representing actions that escalate conflicts or problems. Did you know that this vivid imagery has been used in various cultures to describe aggravating situations?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Olie op het vuur gooien" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to add fuel to the fire