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light a fire under someone

light a fire under someone

Date: Jan 06 2011

Themes: Celebrity

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

“Music lights a fire under me. When I hear other people, I want to be better than them.”

- Killers singer Brandon Flowers on what drives him to succeed. (Spin)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

motivate, inspire

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Nothing gets people to move like a fire. If something catches fire, people want to get away from it as quickly as they can.

A fire in your building is scary. But a fire under you can be helpful. To light a fire under someone means to motivate or inspire them to do something.

You can light a fire under someone by saying encouraging things to them. You can also light a fire under someone by offering a reward if they do well or a punishment if they fail.

Kanye, Ludicrous and Guns N’ Roses all released albums on the same day as Brandon Flowers’ band, The Killers. But Flowers says it didn’t scare him. It lit a fire under him and motivated him to make a better album.

What lights a fire under you?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

“I hope that getting this gym membership will light a fire under me and I’ll start exercising a lot.”

“The company offers prizes to light a fire under their sales staff.”

“After they lost the game, the coach gave a speech to light a fire under the team and inspire them to practice harder.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

Liudes inspire, make better,
by Liudes
bienemaja motivates,gives inspiration
by bienemaja
Manu4 feel motivated toward doing something
by Manu4
bulenka It's an incitement to do more. In russian i say to add fuel to the flame.
by bulenka
urge to do something better
by Bitten by an Arab bug
Gaby313 to urge
by Gaby313
Moses10 Inspires me.
by Moses10
MAjEsTiC motivate me
by MAjEsTiC

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Comments

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Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

What’s light fire me? Hummm I guess everything that be poitive ;)

10:46 AM Dec 23 2011 |

lenny80a

Germany

Being good at English languages light a fire under me, it make me to be better.

Therefore the feedback from my supportive teachers lit a fire under me.

This is a very useful slang for me.

02:05 PM Feb 19 2011 |

daynong

daynong

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

it's nice idiom

actually you know  it can inspire or encourage

11:23 AM Jan 14 2011 |

suresh_123

suresh_123

India

When we start a light fire under the hear, then only we can acheive out target

 

04:16 PM Jan 09 2011 |

cococheng

Taiwan

Self-expextation and family's love are critical to keep me move forward.  When I feel frustrated, my family always give me a big hug to light a fire under me.

12:46 PM Jan 08 2011 |

Jasmine89

China

to motivate or inspire someone by saying some encouring words or performing some inspiring movements.

12:03 AM Jan 07 2011 |

tiger_bagira

Greece

nice

08:14 PM Jan 06 2011 |

gokuh

gokuh

India

i will light a fire under me, do sth bettter than others do,,,,,,

07:24 PM Jan 06 2011 |

tomatina

tomatina

Egypt

my continuous cynicism is pushing me to get sarcastic on this piece of idiom,but  I know I'll get hailed with harsh rants..I'll just save whatever dignity left in me and say,you all can burn me up, flare the way, set this place on blazes,and light a fire under me to show me the way out of this tiff!

05:39 PM Jan 06 2011 |

emirata

emirata

Turkey

ı am a professıoanl absketball player and  ı had a lot of match and sometımes ı lost some of them but ı never gıvep up playıg basketball coz always ı have some  people who lıght a fıre under me and  my team thx englishbaby

05:01 PM Jan 06 2011 |

borahanie

South Korea

I need a pep-talk or someone which light a big fire under me. 

03:29 PM Jan 06 2011 |

PICACHU

Colombia

It is the fact to move the people to make amazing things.

02:24 PM Jan 06 2011 |

razzaghi

razzaghi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Actually we say:

 tune "the object"

fill "the object"

inflate his/her/their trotter(leg)

01:50 PM Jan 06 2011 |

Soulmate Ann

China

Maybe i need a fire to light under.

01:24 PM Jan 06 2011 |

neha1209

India

my desire to get more in life lights a fire under me..

01:18 PM Jan 06 2011 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

OVERCOMING THE LIMITS!!Cool

12:35 PM Jan 06 2011 |

Elahe54124

Elahe54124

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

so much interesting

may I add you to my friends list?

thanks

10:37 AM Jan 06 2011 |

sofree

sofree

China

Hmmm not sure. I'm quite in peace! Maybe a LOT of money? LOL

07:18 AM Jan 06 2011 |

ChingYun

ChingYun

Taiwan

My wish (travel around world)light a huge fire under me to make more money and learn English.

05:45 AM Jan 06 2011 |

andrespretty2

Colombia

My family light  a fire under me, 'cause they want that I will be an important person, 

03:19 AM Jan 06 2011 |

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