play with fire
Risk getting burned
To play with fire is to take dangerous risks, especially by involving oneself in something that could cause serious harm: You're playing with fire if you keep lying to her.
The metaphor is straightforward—fire warms but also burns.
Usually appears as a warning about reckless behavior with predictable consequences.
- tempt fateRecklessly invite misfortune
- dice with deathTake mortal risks
- bell the catAttempt a dangerous feat
- riskPossibility of harm
- recklessCarelessly ignoring danger
dangerous · thin ice · dare · hazard · gamble · high stakes · run the risk · push your luck · foolhardiness · chance · peril · jeopardy · repercussions · tempting fate · touch a nerve · heedlessness · impetuousness · imprudence
- fire idiomsfan the flames, spread like wildfire, go up in flames, go up in smoke, up in smoke
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- cautioncareful, be careful, cautious, caution, watch out
- consequencesconsequence, consequences, result, results, effect
- risk phrasestake a chance, take a gamble, risk it all, go for broke, roll the dice
- risksrisk, gamble, bet, wager, chance it
play with fireplay it safe
Avoid unnecessary chances
err on the side of caution · hedge one's bets · play it cool · tread carefully · cover one's bases
play, fire, player, playful, fired, playing, firing, played, fires