Idioms

hold feet to the fire

hold (one's) feet to the fire

To put pressure on one to do, say, or consent to something. The journalist has spent the last year holding the prime minister's feet to the fire in relation to her campaign promises about wealth distribution. People have been holding her feet to the fire to take the images down from the website. A number of companies have held politicians' feet to the fire to ease up on corporate taxes and regulations.
See also: feet, fire, hold, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

hold (someone's) feet to the fire

To pressure (someone) to consent to or undertake something.
See also: feet, fire, hold, to
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
"So this process is still dragging out in terms of efforts to review certain aspects of the 2010 polling, parliamentary electoral process, and I think the United Nations has been the sort of focal point of the international community's efforts to hold feet to the fire and ensure that the processes are not manipulated for the political interests of any actor," Rice told lawmakers.
Ban, Clinton discuss Afghanistan
"In some small way it does hold feet to the fire," Wharton said.
La. colleges may lose some degree programs
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