put out a/the fire

1. Literally, to extinguish a fire. The firemen were able to put out the fire before too much damage was done to our house.

2. To deal with an emergency or urgent matter rather than ordinary day-to-day tasks. I spent so much time today putting out a fire with our supplier that I didn't even have a chance to read my emails.

See also: fire, out, put

See also:

on fire
open fire on (someone)
burn through
burn through (something)
under fire
have a/(one's) finger on the button
fire under
a fire under (someone)
light (something) with (something)
light with

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.