heap coals of fire on one's head

heap coals of fire on one's head
{v. phr.}, {literary} To be kind or helpful to someone who has done wrong to you, so that he is ashamed. * /Alice heaped coals of fire on Mary's head by inviting her to a party after Mary had gossiped about her./ * /Jean Valjean stole the Bishop's silver, but the Bishop heaped coals of fire on his head by giving the silver to him./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • heap coals of fire on one's head — {v. phr.}, {literary} To be kind or helpful to someone who has done wrong to you, so that he is ashamed. * /Alice heaped coals of fire on Mary s head by inviting her to a party after Mary had gossiped about her./ * /Jean Valjean stole the Bishop… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • heap\ coals\ of\ fire\ on\ one's\ head — v. phr. literary To be kind or helpful to someone who has done wrong to you, so that he is ashamed. Alice heaped coals of fire on Mary s head by inviting her to a party after Mary had gossiped about her. Jean Valjean stole the Bishop s silver,… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • heap coals of fire on someone's head — To excite someone s remorse and repentance by returning good for evil (from Bible, Romans 12.20) • • • Main Entry: ↑coal * * * go out of one s way to cause someone remorse Origin: with biblical allusion to Rom. 12:20 …   Useful english dictionary

  • head — See: ACID HEAD, BEAT INTO ONE S HEAD, BEAT ONE S HEAD AGAINST A WALL, BIG HEAD, COUNT HEADS, EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE S HEAD, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET THROUGH ONE S HEAD, GOOD HEAD ON ONE S SHOULDERS, GO TO ONE S HEAD, HANG ONE S HEAD, HAVE ONE S… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • head — See: ACID HEAD, BEAT INTO ONE S HEAD, BEAT ONE S HEAD AGAINST A WALL, BIG HEAD, COUNT HEADS, EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE S HEAD, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET THROUGH ONE S HEAD, GOOD HEAD ON ONE S SHOULDERS, GO TO ONE S HEAD, HANG ONE S HEAD, HAVE ONE S… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • head — See: acid head, beat into one s head, beat one s head against a wall, big head, count heads, eyes in the back of one s head, from head to foot, get through one s head, good head on one s shoulders, go to one s head, hang one s head, have one s… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • fire — See: BALL OF FIRE, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA or BETWEEN TWO FIRES, BUILD A FIRE UNDER, BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE, CATCH FIRE, DRAW FIRE, FAT S IN THE FIRE, FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, HANG FIRE, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE S HEAD, HOLD… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fire — See: BALL OF FIRE, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA or BETWEEN TWO FIRES, BUILD A FIRE UNDER, BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE, CATCH FIRE, DRAW FIRE, FAT S IN THE FIRE, FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, HANG FIRE, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE S HEAD, HOLD… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fire — See: ball of fire, between the devil and the deep blue sea or between two fires, build a fire under, burnt child dreads the fire, catch fire, draw fire, fat s in the fire, fight fire with fire, hang fire, heap coals of fire on one s head, hold… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • heap — /hip / (say heep) noun 1. an assemblage of things, lying one on another; a pile: a heap of stones. 2. (sometimes plural) Colloquial a great quantity or number; a multitude: a heap better; heaps further. 3. Colloquial something very old and… …  

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