put out a fire

verb

To address a problem, especially an unexpected one caused by the incompetence, negligence, or misconduct of another person.

“The manager had to put out the fire after a raw hamburger was served to a customer.”

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Meanings

verbput out a fire (third-person singular simple present puts out a fire, present participle putting out a fire, simple past and past participle put out a fire)

present singular third person puts out a fire · participle present putting out a fire · alternative put out the fire

  1. idiomaticTo address a problem, especially an unexpected one caused by the incompetence, negligence, or misconduct of another person.

    The manager had to put out the fire after a raw hamburger was served to a customer.

    1 more example

    Laporta is getting fed up with putting out all the fires that keep emerging around the club every time Koeman opens his mouth, while the Dutchman, protected by a bulletproof contract, is probably thinking 'as you sow, so shall you reap', and only just resisting adding the phrase: "Come on then, sack me!"

    2021 September 22, Guillem Balagué, “Barcelona: The toxic battle ripping apart a European giant”, in BBC Sport
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: put out a fire.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 收拾殘局 /收拾残局
  • 收拾殘局 /收拾残局 (shōushi cánjú)to address a problem, especially an unexpected one
Finnish pelastaa tilanne
  • pelastaa tilanneto address a problem, especially an unexpected one
Polish gasić pożar, ugasić pożar
  • gasić pożarto address a problem, especially an unexpected one
  • ugasić pożarto address a problem, especially an unexpected one
Portuguese apagar um incêndio
  • apagar um incêndioto address a problem, especially an unexpected one
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“put out a fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20out%20a%20fire. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put out a fire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20out%20a%20fire.

Source: put out a fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.