get on like a house on fire

verb

To immediately start a good relationship with someone.

“Those two met last Saturday at the party, and because they were both into juggling they got on like a house on fire.”

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Meanings

verbget on like a house on fire (third-person singular simple present gets on like a house on fire, present participle getting on like a house on fire, simple past got on like a house on fire, past participle (UK) got on like a house on fire or (US) gotten on like a house on fire)

present singular third person gets on like a house on fire · participle present getting on like a house on fire · past got on like a house on fire · UK participle past got on like a house on fire · US participle past gotten on like a house on fire

  1. simileTo immediately start a good relationship with someone.

    Those two met last Saturday at the party, and because they were both into juggling they got on like a house on fire.

    1 more example

    They've obviously never met before, but are getting on like a house on fire. Both are well-spoken and versed in the Queen's English.

    2022 November 16, Paul Bigland, “From rural branches to high-speed arteries”, in RAIL, number 970, page 52

Origin

By metaphor, reflecting the notion that housefires are archetypally roaringly quick and robust.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

get on like a house on fire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20like%20a%20house%20on%20fire

MLA

“get on like a house on fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20like%20a%20house%20on%20fire. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get on like a house on fire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20on%20like%20a%20house%20on%20fire.

Source: get on like a house on fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.