On fire?

Wise Words: fire

The fires in California are still raging and they’re threatening many lives, homes and businesses. I’ve seen the aftermath of the fires in Attica, Greece, and it’s not a pretty sight. So, why does fire have such a positive meaning in business?

Dionysos after the fires

A fire is clearly a dangerous place to be, but a controlled fire can be a positive thing. It gives off warmth, provides comfort, and can be inspiring.

on fire

The literal sense of "on fire" is clear, but what about the metaphorical? If someone is on fire, that person is full of excitement.

(Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire is about sexual desire, rather than excitement, but in a business situation most people wouldn’t think of sex!)

light a fire

The arsonists who lit the fires in Greece are criminals, but if you use “light a fire” figuratively, it’s a positive thing. If you light a fire under somebody, you try to encourage that person do something.

like a house on fire

Watching a house burn down is a terrible sight, but if we say that two people get on like a house on fire, we mean it in a positive way: they understand each other really well. Once a house is on fire, it's very hard to put the fire out. Once two people get on like a house on fire, it's very hard to ruin their relationship. The expression makes me think of fast and frenzied activity: two people talking, laughing and working well together.

Where’s the fire?

If there really is a fire, you need to be in a hurry, but we can use this expression if we think someone is in a hurry although there’s no need to be. It’s used in a humorous way.

As you can see from the last expression, a fire is something that has to be dealt with quickly. If only the Greeks had been able to do that, my picture would look very different.