put out a fire
verb1
Idiomatic To address a problem, especially an unexpected one caused by the incompetence, negligence, or misconduct of another person.
- The manager had to put out the fire after a raw hamburger was served to a customer.
- Laporta is getting fed up with putting out all the fires that keep emerging around the club every time Koeman opens his mouth, while the Dutchman, protected by a bulletproof contract, is probably thinking 'as you sow, so shall you reap', and only just resisting adding the phrase: "Come on then, sack me!"2021 September 22, Guillem Balagué, “Barcelona: The toxic battle ripping apart a European giant”, in BBC Sport:
2
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: put out a fire.
- Related terms
- firefighting