What does it mean to play fire with fire?

Question

And what does it mean to you?

Answer 1

I believe you are confusing two different sayings .
One is "you have to fight fire with fire" which comes from oil rigs that catch on fire. for example when American forces went into Iraq Saddam started blowing up oil rigs to impede them once an oil rig catches on fire the only way to put it out is to blow it up with explosives placed at the base of the fire. similarly it means to beat someone at their own game . For example lets say you and a friend are playing a game and you know for a fact that your friend is cheating , the only way you would have any chance of winning would be for you to start cheating as well.

The second saying is "if you play with fire you will get burned " which quite simply means if you do risky things you should expect negative consequences or repercussions

Answer 2

As someone else said, the phrase is 'fight fire with fire'. This is done to fight forest fires. Controllable backfires are lit to consume the fuel in the path of a larger fire. It can also mean that what someone's doing is unacceptable, but you sometimes have to do the same thing in order to stop them.

Answer 3

Playing with fire means to be messing around with something that will get you into trouble. Sometimes it refers to flirting with someone you shouldn't.

Answer 4

It means you are doing something that is bound to get you hurt in one way or another. "if you play with fire, you're going to get burned". If you are taking an obvious risk, it's obvious that it's going to hurt you or turn out badly.

Answer 5

it means to fight vengence with vengence. it is an idiom:


"fight fire with fire" To combat one evil or one set of negative circumstances by reacting in kind. fight shy of To avoid meeting or confronting. it is the same principle to play and is just a general adaptation of the idiom.

this phrase is also lengthend to if you fight/play fire with fire you are going to get burned.

another words if you take on a great force and fight just the same then expect problems!!.....LOL

Answer 6

Um it's fight fire with fire...and it means to beat someone at their own game.

Answer 7

light a match, or plug in the iron,

now hold your hand or any part of your body will do, over flame, or if the iron, just place the iron anywhere on yourself,

now, you tell the world here, what does it mean to you ?...

Answer 8

To do something that you know you shouldn't with an outcome that will be predictibly painful.

Answer 9

playing dangerously with someone who is dangerous too

Answer 10

UHHHHH
dunno but ya wanta smoke a hooter.
Just lit it.........here it comes.