a three-alarm fire

three-alarm fire

1. A fire that is so large or intense that it requires the presence of many firefighting units to try to contain it. A three-alarm fire is the reason we heard all of those sirens last night

2. Someone or something that is very intense or stressful. Boy, this project has really become a three-alarm fire with all the other problems it's created.

See also: fire

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a three-alarm fire

and a five-alarm fire

n. someone or something very exciting. Work was a nightmare today. A five-alarm fire with crisis after crisis.

See also: fire

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.