Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
hold someone's feet to the fire. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
hold someone's feet to the fire, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
hold someone's feet to the fire in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
hold someone's feet to the fire you have here. The definition of the word
hold someone's feet to the fire will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
hold someone's feet to the fire, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From the implied threat of physical harm by burning.
Pronunciation
Verb
hold someone's feet to the fire (third-person singular simple present holds someone's feet to the fire, present participle holding someone's feet to the fire, simple past and past participle held someone's feet to the fire)
- (idiomatic) To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce them to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for their actions.
1917 September 3, “Governor Sued for Large Sum”, in Evening Independent, Florida, US, retrieved 17 April 2009, page 3:In this letter the governor explained that he was being threatened with impeachment and needed all the jobs in his gift to stave off such proceedings and to "hold the feet of members of the legislature to the fire."
- 2005 Dec. 19, Julia Keller, "Today's journalists don't know Jack—but ought to" (obituary for Jack N. Anderson), Chicago Tribune (retrieved 17 Apr. 2009):
- He kept tabs on presidents, monitored members of Congress, held bureaucrats' feet to the fire.