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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 someone's handhold the forthold the cardshold the forthold one's peacehold that thoughtHold the Forthold one's liquorhold that thought!hold over someone's headhold one's waterhold the linehold someone's handhold one's own

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

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