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add fuel to the fire

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
add fuel to the fire and add fuel to the flame
Fig. to make a problem worse; to say or do something that makes a bad situation worse; to make an angry person get even angrier. (Alludes to causing a flame to grow larger someone or something to move forward when fuel is added.) Shouting at a crying child just adds fuel to the fire.
See also: add, fire, fuel

add fuel to the fire/flames
to make an argument or a bad situation worse His mild words only added fuel to the fire. Isabelle was furious.
See also: add, fire, fuel

add fuel to the fire
to make a situation worse than it already is Should the government warn the public of terrorist threats, or is this merely adding fuel to the fire?
See also: add, fire, fuel


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To add fuel to the fire, I just received your most recent issue and no mention was made of Bocca's retirement with American Ballet Theatre after 20 years of superb dancing and acting.
It's tough to keep pitching behind in the count, and you add fuel to the fire with walks.
As Americans see energy prices moving back higher after a respite late in 2004, it may also add fuel to the fire in Congress to get moving on an omnibus energy package.
 
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