Where did the phrase get on like a house on fire come from?

Washington Irving used the expression in Knickerbocker’s History of New York (1809), “At it they went like five hundred houses on fire,” and Dickens is quoted as having used it to mean very well (“I am getting on . . . like ‘a house on fire’”) in a letter of 1837.

Who do you get on like a house on fire?

Freq. in to get on like a house on fire : (a) to progress rapidly and successfully; (b) (of two people) to establish quickly and maintain a very good relationship.

What does it mean to set the house on fire?

: to deliberately cause something to burn They set the house on fire.

What does stepping on someone’s toes mean?

Definition of step on (someone’s) toes : to do something that upsets or offends (someone) You might step on some important people’s toes with this project.

What does put my foot in it mean?

Definition of put one’s foot in it : to say something that causes someone to be embarrassed, upset, or hurt especially when the speaker did not expect that reaction I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her job. I didn’t know she had just been fired.

What is get a move on?

Hurry up; also, start working. For example, Get a move on, it’s late, or Let’s get cracking, kids, or It’s time we got going, or The alarm went off ten minutes ago, so get rolling. The first colloquial expression dates from the late 1800s.

What is it called when you set things on fire?

arson Add to list Share. The noun arson comes from the Latin word ardere, meaning “to burn.” Arson is the act of setting something on fire for a nefarious purpose, and it is, of course, illegal.

What does rubbing elbows mean?

Definition of rub elbows with US, informal. : to meet and talk with (someone) in a friendly way The awards dinner gave me the opportunity to rub elbows with some of today’s greatest American poets.

What does to stick one’s neck out mean?

If you stick your neck out, it means you take a risk by saying or doing something that other people might not like. Examples: John stuck his neck out and told the boss what we thought of him.

What is the meaning of the idiom against the clock?

In a great hurry, as fast as possible, as in With her term paper due on Monday, she was racing against the clock to finish it, or They were working against time to stay on schedule.

What does ‘like a house on fire’ mean?

The Oxford English Dictionary lists “like a house on fire (afire)” among proverbial colloquial phrases containing “house.”. Its definition is “as fast as a house would burn; very fast or vigorously.”.

What is the origin of the expression “a house on fire”?

Washington Irving used the expression in Knickerbocker’s History of New York (1809), “At it they went like five hundred houses on fire,” and Dickens is quoted as having used it to mean very well (“I am getting on… like ‘a house on fire’”) in a letter of 1837. See also: afire, fire, house, like, on

What does ‘as fast as a house would burn’ mean?

Its definition is “as fast as a house would burn; very fast or vigorously.” To my mind the phrase suggests frenzied activity and applies better to, say, working than to something quieter like getting along. But if you meant that people got along well, your listeners probably understood you.

What are some fire idioms and phrases?

49 Fire Idioms And Phrases (Meaning & Examples) 1. A Baptism Of Fire. 2. A Burnt Child Dreads The Fire. 3. As Warm As Toast. 4.