English idiom · neutral · spoken & written · BrE & AmE

play with fire: meaning and examples

play with fire means do something dangerous that may cause trouble.

Memory hook: Build a clear mental picture from “play with fire” and connect it to this meaning: do something dangerous that may cause trouble.

How to use “play with fire”

Common mistake: Treat “play with fire” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

Learn it in context

This expression belongs to Lesson 13, where you can compare it with other idioms about risk and practise it interactively.

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