The teacher built a fire under the students, and they really started working.
•You had better light a fire under your staff. Either that or we will lay off some of them.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
light a fire under someone — mainly american informal phrase to make someone work harder Thesaurus: to make someone work hardsynonym Main entry: light * * * I stimulate someone to work or act more quickly or enthusiastically … Useful english dictionary
light a fire under someone — light a fire under (someone) mainly American to make someone work better or harder. It s time you lit a fire under those guys or they ll never finish painting the house … New idioms dictionary
light a fire under someone — mainly American informal to make someone work harder … English dictionary
light a fire under — see ↑light, 3 • • • Main Entry: ↑fire light a fire under (someone) US informal : to cause (someone) to move or work more quickly and effectively I ve never seen him work so hard. Someone must have lit a fire under him. • • • … Useful english dictionary
light a fire under — (someone) mainly American to make someone work better or harder. It s time you lit a fire under those guys or they ll never finish painting the house … New idioms dictionary
build a fire under — {v. phr.} To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. * /The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license./ … Dictionary of American idioms
build a fire under — {v. phr.} To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. * /The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license./ … Dictionary of American idioms
light a fire under — verb To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster. Let me see if I can light a fire under the waiter to get our order sooner … Wiktionary
build\ a\ fire\ under — v. phr. To urge or force (a slow or unwilling person) to action; get (someone) moving; arouse. The health department built a fire under the restaurant owner and got him to clean the place up by threatening to cancel his license … Словарь американских идиом
fire — ► NOUN 1) the state of burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and give out bright light, heat, and smoke. 2) an instance of destructive burning. 3) wood or coal burnt in a hearth or stove for heating or cooking.… … English terms dictionary
under your wing — under (your) wing helped and protected by you. One of the children in the class will usually take a new girl or boy under their wing for the first few weeks. Usage notes: also used in the forms under someone s wing or under the wing of someone:… … New idioms dictionary
