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hold someone's feet to the fire

To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce him or her to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for his or her actions.

Etymology:

  • From the implied threat of physical harm by burning.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to hold someone's feet to the fire

hold outhold someone's handhold that thoughthold over someone's headhold the phonehold one's tonguehold the forthold overhold one's nervehold somebody's handhold that thought a momenthold one's liquorhold the forthold somebody's hand

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    "hold someone's feet to the fire." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/hold-someones-feet-to-the-fire_4508>.

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